Introduction
School is starting for many students in August and September, and it is important to prepare for a successful school year. So in this post, I will be sharing all my tips to start your school year off on the right foot.
How to start your year off strong
Summer Assignments
We, as students, all dread the idea of summer assignments, and most people skip doing them. However, if you want to get ahead of your peers and be well-prepared, the first step you should take is to do your summer assignments. Your teacher assigned them for a reason; even if it is optional, do them because not only will your teacher appreciate you more, but you will also have gained knowledge and skills. If your summer assignment isn't optional, you should definitely be working on it.
If you decided to get ahead of the game and do your summer assignments early, then I recommend a few days before the first day of school to skim over your assignment to jog your memory so that all the work you did does not go down the drain. This is especially useful with summer reading. Reading a quick Sparknotes summary of your book (after you have already read it, because Sparknotes will not give you all that you need to know for your course!!) can help you jog your memory.
Refresh your knowledge on related subjects
If you are taking a class that uses skills and knowledge from previous classes, it would be wise to refresh your mind on past information. If you are taking Algebra 2, then it will likely be very beneficial to practice a few skills that you learned in Algebra 1 so you aren't confused in class. You don't have to do intense practice because you just started school, so it shouldn't be too stressful. Just one or two problems from skills you forgot, should be good enough.
Clean your bookbag
If you haven't cleaned your bookbag from the previous year, this is your reminder. You want to start the school year clean and fresh. Get rid of all the trash in your bookbag, and take this time to organize all of the papers and supplies you will need for the upcoming year. You don't need to go buy brand new supplies, but if you are short on, for example, pink highlighters and lined paper, then go back to school shopping for those items.
Set up an organization system and get a calendar
In my opinion, this is the most important step. Without an organizational system, you cannot succeed. Decide whether or not you want to have a physical planner or a digital planner or calendar. I work best with digital planning through Notion, which fulfills all my school needs. What I recommend is to find what works best for you and stick with it consistently.
Create a study schedule
Online, you can find examples of intense study schedules with every minute of someone's day planned out. Personally, I don't work well with that. My study schedule is as follows: After I come home from work I start on my most important task, then take a break, then go and do the next most important task. Just having a simple and flexible schedule works best for me, and knowing that after work I will start my homework is a good enough study schedule for me!
Set a realistic goal
Setting a goal at the beginning of the year is important because it will keep you motivated and on track from the start. Remember, when setting a goal, be realistic. For example, if you are taking your first AP class(es), don't set your goal for straight A's because you don't know how you will adjust in AP classes.
Also, remember that your grades don't determine your worth; the point of goal setting isn't to see whether you are a failure or not, depending on whether you succeeded. The point is to keep you on track and motivated to work towards your goals.
Go through your course syllabus
Most high school courses don't have syllabuses specifying every single assignment and the exact date it is due. In my school, only AP classes have that. So if that is your case, then I would write down every single date and assignment in your physical or digital planner or calendar.
If you do not have a syllabus with all your assignments and due dates, most teachers will have weekly or monthly planners with the assignments and their due dates on there. So every week or month, depending on how regularly they updated or released it, I would write down the assignments and their due dates in my own planner to stay organized.
Create a good study environment
A good study environment means a place where you feel motivated and focused to study. What a good study space looks like depends on each person. However, if you want some suggestions, here are a few tips that have helped me:
Keep it clean and organized
Have good lighting
Make it comfortable (but not too comfortable for where you want to sleep)
Do you want a step-by-step guide to creating a good study space? Click here
Create a good relationship with your teachers
It is important that, in your first month of school, you create a good relationship with your teacher. They are the ones who can provide guidance and support throughout your academic journey, so it is important to have a good relationship with them.
Join Clubs
When I say join clubs, I don't mean join a bunch of clubs that you don't care about. Join clubs that genuinely interest you and align with your passions and goals, and most importantly, ones that you have time to attend. If you can, you also want to join clubs like the National Honor Society because they are good for college scholarships and are community service based.
Conclusion
I hope this has given you a better idea of how to start off strong in school! Remember that your grades don't define you. What matters is that you try your best. I wish you all a good rest of your school year!
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