Tackle High School

As a recent graduate, I find myself being asked by many soon-to-be-freshmen, how to "survive" high school and how I did it. Well I'll tell you one thing, it isn't rocket science, but it sure isn't a smooth ride either. But here is some wisdom and good tips I learned thought my four years of my life in high school that helped surpass as a high school student.

'I haven't started either', will probably be the phrase you'll hear and feel better about not have started to work on your English essay that is due the next morning. Believe me, I am guilty of such crime, but lets get real, it happens to everyone. Nonetheless, that does not mean procrastination should be part of your daily routine in your school life. Grades in high school matter, a lot actually. Decisions you make in your life at this moment is what you carry with you throughout your life. So why not give it an effort?

Organization

From my experiences, studying can be a hassle if you take advanced classes and are involved in various clubs and sports. Many of us might mention, "I can't take advanced classes, ain't nobody got time for that!"If you caught yourself nodding your head with agreement at this statement, think again, you are more capable and smarter than you may think to be. I'll be honest and say that I wasn't always at the top of my class, and didn't make straight A's or took all AP classes, but I was fairly an excellent student, who was always determined to challenge myself, and you can do so as well!

Organization is essential when keeping track of all of your classes. I recommend keeping a monthly planner, which I found to be a life saver all year round. If you don't like keeping track of a planner, using sticky notes is a good alternative if you prefer that instead. But you will determine what suits you better once you get used to the flow of school work. Just make sure that you use something to help you keep organized, it is a must! By having all under check, you stress less and know exactly on which assignments to work on, when you have a club meeting or a game, therefore maintaining good grades. *thumbs up*

Motivation

Motivation is key when wanting to maintain good grades. Being surrounded with people that encourage you to do better is essential and may help you succeed further more. Study groups are always a good idea when going over new topics, so if any of you in your group has a question, you can help answer the question together. However if you are about to take an exam and need to study in a more concentrated manner, I advise to study with a single partner; you will obtain more information without others getting you off track.

Who says studying has to be agonizingly boring? Plug in some headphones and create a playlist of your favorite songs, and jam your way through your studies. Remember to also know your limits with the time you spend listening to music to actual study time; you might get carried away with your tunes, thus not being focused. Therefore my advice on that note is to listen to classical or instrumental music. By my experiences, classical music increases my study efficiency and helps me carry through with a much more diligent pace of work. Though by all means never hold back from listening to music throughout your study time!

Overall

I hope that with these brief tips and given advice, encouraged you and fulfilled your knowledge of what to expect and how to handle stressful situations in high school and help you prepare yourself to become a better student!