When I started at my current high school, I was placed into American History and Literature. I thought the low course code and the combined nature of the course meant it was a humanities filler, meant to fulfill college requirements and nothing more, since I was a STEM-focused student. On the first report, I received a B- for not explaining my analysis of a text thoroughly and for performing badly on a test. I resolved to improve. I emailed the teachers, first asking if I could have feedback on my essay drafts before turning them in, and I drastically changed my approach toward American History and Literature. I received useful feedback on my essays and learned to prepare drafts in advance so I could have time to thoroughly edit them before and after receiving critique. When I found that I was not understanding information thoroughly, I combined my notes from the lectures and my notes from reading outside of class to form an improved, organized version of notes on each historical context or event. Additionally, I distilled readings down to important quotes or concepts that explained the essence of the content. In this way, I understood the material to the extent that I could explain my responses to questions clearly and answer others’ questions about the text. By being organized, improving my notes outside of class, and interacting with other students, I successfully understood the challenging content and not only improved my grade, but greatly improved my literary analysis and writing skills.