--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was a terrible student. Still, I…" description: "\"I was a terrible student. Still, I managed to get into college, but my daydreaming threatened to sabotage me. I used behavior modification to break the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6e/sandra-cisneros-862_15-minutes_i-was-a-terrible-student-still-i-managed_2521733.png" --- # I was a terrible student. Still, I managed to get into… ![“I was a terrible student. Still, I managed to get into college, but my daydreaming threatened to sabotage me. I used behavior modification to break the cycle. I started by setting an arbitrary time limit on studying: for every 15 minutes of study, I'd allow myself an hour of daydreaming. I set the…” quote by Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6e/sandra-cisneros-862_15-minutes_i-was-a-terrible-student-still-i-managed_2521733.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6e/sandra-cisneros-862_15-minutes_i-was-a-terrible-student-still-i-managed_2521733.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6e/sandra-cisneros-862_15-minutes_i-was-a-terrible-student-still-i-managed_2521733.png) > “I was a terrible student. Still, I managed to get into college, but my daydreaming threatened to sabotage me. I used behavior modification to break the cycle. I started by setting an arbitrary time limit on studying: for every 15 minutes of study, I'd allow myself an hour of daydreaming. I set the alarm.” [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She overcame distraction by structuring study with timed breaks, using daydreaming as a reward. **In simple terms:** Use timed study and reward breaks to stay focused. Key Takeaway Structure work with short study periods and longer breaks. Themes productivity self‑discipline focus habit formation Mood motivational practical Type self‑help inspirational When to use this quote - college coursework - writing projects - skill acquisition - self‑improvement Key Concepts behavioral psychology time management Questions to Reflect On - What study schedule works best for you? - How can you turn distractions into productive rewards? A Different Perspective Balancing focus and rest can be challenging for some people. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Behavior modification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior-modification/) [Break The Cycle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break-the-cycle/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Cycle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cycle/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Sabotage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sabotage/) [Setting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/setting/) [Student](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/student/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“It was quite obvious that without severe behavior modification, this boy would grow up to be a serial killer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/it-was-quite-obvious-that-without-severe-behavior-modification-this/) [Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/) > [The aim of spiritual formation is not behavior modification but the transformation of all those aspects of you and me where behavior comes from...Circumcision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-aim-of-spiritual-formation-is-not-behavior-modification-but-the/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“God is reaching out to us, wanting us to see we need him. But since he is God, we think he wants some song…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie-allen/god-is-reaching-out-to-us-wanting-us-to-see-we-need-him-but-since-he/) [Jennie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennie-allen/) > [I like maxims that don't encourage behavior modification.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/i-like-maxims-that-don-t-encourage-behavior-modification/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [“Be wary of information sources that consistently evoke fear, anger, or outrage. Be cautious also of ones that yo-yo followers between such negative states…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-luckman/be-wary-of-information-sources-that-consistently-evoke-fear-anger-or/) [Sol Luckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-luckman/) > [“Without knowing it, the adults in our lives practiced a most productive kind of behavior modification. After our chores and household duties were done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mildred-armstrong-kalish/without-knowing-it-the-adults-in-our-lives-practiced-a-most/) Mildred Armstrong Kalish > [“Silence is not always complacency. It is contemplation and forethought taking place in the minds of those who would be careful with their words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/silence-is-not-always-complacency-it-is-contemplation-and-forethought/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [It's a whole lot more productive to be in problem-solving mode than it is to be in behavior modification mode.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-w-greene/it-s-a-whole-lot-more-productive-to-be-in-problem-solving-mode-than/) [Ross W. Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-w-greene/) > [My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION - Stop acting like your father!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/my-mother-taught-me-about-behavior-modification-stop-acting-like-your/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [“Based on its clear energetic signature as new technologies are breathlessly rolled out following a blatantly prewritten script, the current era might best be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-luckman/based-on-its-clear-energetic-signature-as-new-technologies-are/) [Sol Luckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-luckman/) > [“Consider the telling expression ‘pay attention.’ Attention, as I see it, is the original currency. If you look closely enough at this divine sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-luckman/consider-the-telling-expression-pay-attention-attention-as-i-see-it/) [Sol Luckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-luckman/) > [What motivates most people to change their behavior is consequences. No consequences? No behavior modification.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-pinsky/what-motivates-most-people-to-change-their-behavior-is-consequences/) [Drew Pinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-pinsky/) > [“We are tampered with, our opinions manufactured for us, all without our permission. What was the purpose of these behavior modifications? It was to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-marrs/we-are-tampered-with-our-opinions-manufactured-for-us-all-without-our/) [Jim Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-marrs/) > [Because if I smashed anything, Team Jaiden would just get me into a behavior modification program, or maybe some doctor would put be on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-petrucha/because-if-i-smashed-anything-team-jaiden-would-just-get-me-into-a/) [Stefan Petrucha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-petrucha/) > [I like maxims that don't encourage behavior modification. -Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/i-like-maxims-that-don-t-encourage-behavior-modification-calvin/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) ## More by Sandra Cisneros > [We tend to think of orphans as being the protagonist of stories we read when we're kids, and yet here you are: you're an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/we-tend-to-think-of-orphans-as-being-the-protagonist-of-stories-we/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [I'm learning a lot by reading teachers like Thich Nhat Hanh, Pema Chodron. They teach me because I feel like I have a responsibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/i-m-learning-a-lot-by-reading-teachers-like-thich-nhat-hanh-pema/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [I never know what something is going to be until it emerges from the womb and you see the crown of its head and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/i-never-know-what-something-is-going-to-be-until-it-emerges-from-the/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [Believe it or not, Mexican cooking, for those of you who have not gone farther south than Taco Bell, uses a lot of vegetables.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/believe-it-or-not-mexican-cooking-for-those-of-you-who-have-not-gone/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [I feel that I can teach my listener about a new word they can use too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/i-feel-that-i-can-teach-my-listener-about-a-new-word-they-can-use-too/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [Now I feel life is really short and I have to take care of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/now-i-feel-life-is-really-short-and-i-have-to-take-care-of-things/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [To this day, on my cheat days from my diet, which are New Year's Eve and my birthday, I buy luxury foods that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/to-this-day-on-my-cheat-days-from-my-diet-which-are-new-year-s-eve/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [You can never have too much sky . You can fall asleep and wake up drunk on sky, and sky can keep you safe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/you-can-never-have-too-much-sky-you-can-fall-asleep-and-wake-up-drunk/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [ \[Jorge Luis Borges\] had short stories, and I was trying to learn how to write short stories, and then he had these things in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/jorge-luis-borges-had-short-stories-and-i-was-trying-to-learn-how-to/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [I want to thank you, especially those people who are agnostic or atheist. I don't mean any offense by the things I said of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/i-want-to-thank-you-especially-those-people-who-are-agnostic-or/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [ We changed it to emocionó, the way you say in Spanish, "to emotion me" \[to be moved\]. That, as opposed to "haunt." We wanted… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/we-changed-it-to-emocion-the-way-you-say-in-spanish-to-emotion-me-to/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [When I'm starting to feel, "How many more people are there?" I go slower. I ask questions, and that person engaging with me gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/when-i-m-starting-to-feel-how-many-more-people-are-there-i-go-slower/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [I've put up with too much, too long, and now I'm just too intelligent, too powerful, too beautiful, too sure of who I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/i-ve-put-up-with-too-much-too-long-and-now-i-m-just-too-intelligent/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [If we got an educational program going, we could tell people, "Instead of butter, use avocado." That's something we eat, it has the good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/if-we-got-an-educational-program-going-we-could-tell-people-instead/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [I always have to have sweet and salty. I know some of you are going to say, "Oh, I tried dates. I hate them."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/i-always-have-to-have-sweet-and-salty-i-know-some-of-you-are-going-to/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) [Explore all 347 Sandra Cisneros quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) ## More 15 minutes quotes > [The latest I like to be to meeting is 15 minutes early](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/the-latest-i-like-to-be-to-meeting-is-15-minutes-early/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [You get 15 minutes of fame, I hear, and I've had 14 minutes. The clock's ticking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-howard/you-get-15-minutes-of-fame-i-hear-and-i-ve-had-14-minutes-the-clock-s/) [Tim Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-howard/) > [If you only write for 15 minutes at a time, you can write a book and still have time for Legos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-abu-jaber/if-you-only-write-for-15-minutes-at-a-time-you-can-write-a-book-and/) [Diana Abu-Jaber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-abu-jaber/) > [If the professor doesn't show up to class in the first 15 minutes, you get to leave. Somebody make that a law, please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-the-professor-doesn-t-show-up-to-class-in-the-first-15-minutes-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If Im on TV, I make a real effort to get ready. When I go out, I want to relax a bit more. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gethin-jones/if-im-on-tv-i-make-a-real-effort-to-get-ready-when-i-go-out-i-want-to/) [Gethin Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gethin-jones/) > [One look at an email can rob you of 15 minutes of focus. One call on your cell phone, one tweet, one instant message…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-leo/one-look-at-an-email-can-rob-you-of-15-minutes-of-focus-one-call-on/) [Jacqueline Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-leo/) > [I really tried to take advantage of my 15 minutes of fame. And I've gotten lucky - those 15 minutes have become several years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-ballinger/i-really-tried-to-take-advantage-of-my-15-minutes-of-fame-and-i-ve/) [Colleen Ballinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-ballinger/) > [I opened the script to the 'The Wall,' and 15 minutes later I was done with it, and I loved the movie and wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cena/i-opened-the-script-to-the-the-wall-and-15-minutes-later-i-was-done/) [John Cena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cena/) > [It is true everyone is going to enjoy their 15 minutes of fame, but they're going to have to sell their souls for it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shweta-bachchan-nanda/it-is-true-everyone-is-going-to-enjoy-their-15-minutes-of-fame-but/) [Shweta Bachchan Nanda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shweta-bachchan-nanda/) > [I've always wanted to be a brooding, deep, dark artist, but I can never keep that facade going for more than 15 minutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-callen/i-ve-always-wanted-to-be-a-brooding-deep-dark-artist-but-i-can-never/) [Bryan Callen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-callen/) > [8 minutes to the end of class and 15 minutes to famous. wheres my time, what will I do, rap, rock, act, rob, kill,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hawes/8-minutes-to-the-end-of-class-and-15-minutes-to-famous-wheres-my-time/) [Jon Hawes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hawes/) > [One day, in 1982, for 15 minutes, my hair was perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-guisewite/one-day-in-1982-for-15-minutes-my-hair-was-perfect/) [Cathy Guisewite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-guisewite/) > [You can get by on charm for about 15 minutes. After that, you better know something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/you-can-get-by-on-charm-for-about-15-minutes-after-that-you-better/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [I never thought of myself as a rock singer. I was interested in songs like 'Heart Like a Wheel,' and I liked the others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-ronstadt/i-never-thought-of-myself-as-a-rock-singer-i-was-interested-in-songs/) [Linda Ronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-ronstadt/) > [Men are like buses. One comes every 15 minutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/men-are-like-buses-one-comes-every-15-minutes/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) Browse all 205 15 minutes quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was a terrible student. Still, I managed to get into college, but my daydreaming threatened to sabotage me. 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