Teen Review: Teen Tips for Success in High School
By Samir, member of the Cedarbrae Youth Advisory Group
This is a blog entry written to help Grade 9 students find success in high school. As a Grade 11 student, who is halfway through high school, I have used these tips and they have helped me a great deal. Glean what works best for you from this article. Do let me know your tips too!
Some say high school is the best time of your life as it brings new opportunities and allows you to meet many new people. However with this change comes many new challenges. Here are a few tips and tricks to make the most of your high school experience.
To be successful, it is important that you are healthy (mentally and physically). When you are healthy and fully rested, you are able to understand better, perform better in extracurricular activities, and avoid health issues. Here are some basic tips to follow to ensure that you are in top health and ready to learn:
- Try to get 8 hours of sleep every day (10 PM-6 AM optimal times).
- Turn off electric devices at least 1 hour before you sleep.
- Eat a balanced diet (refer to Canada food guide).
- Exercise (most schools have sports or fitness clubs).
- De-stress (such as meditating or reading. The library is a great place to relax and read).
With a healthy body and good attitude, excelling in academics is easy. Academics is the most important aspect of high school. Although socializing and hanging out with your friends is important, your school work should be # 1 priority. To achieve academically, some tips include:
- Get to class on time and be prepared.
- Pay attention in class and don’t chat during lessons.
- Prioritize school work! Finish what is due earliest first.
- Finish school work as soon as you come home.
- Review what you learned at school on the day.
- Write out notes, it helps you remember concepts.
- Start assignments the day they are assigned.
- Use your agenda, to remember due dates and homework.
- Don’t throw out your notes! They can be useful while studying for exams!
Apart from academics, there are many more things to do in high school. Extra-curricular are a great way to relax and meet other teens with similar interests and also to have fun. They look great on resumes and university applications. By getting involved in the school you can meet new people, try new things, and make special experiences.
- Join sports teams and clubs.
- Listen to announcements and follow clubs on social media so you know about upcoming events.
- Attend banquets or semi-formals (one of the highlights of high school). You will remember these for a long, long time.
- Volunteer! You need 40 hours to graduate!
The library is a great place to volunteer
Also, do not hesitate to seek for help if you are stumped in your assignments/projects or homework. There's help available at the library too.
The library has online help too.
Transition from grade 8 to grade 9 may seem intimidating, but I assure you high school is lots of fun!
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