🐝

potter, cw & broadway in a blender; hufflepuff; i saw love, simon (2018) and i haven't shut up about it ever since

[buzzlikeabeeee]

looking 4 friends

hello tumblr!

i haven’t really been on here since maybe my sophomore year of high school... which was about three years ago but it feels like a lifetime. the past couple years i’ve really lost touch with who i am and people in general. for a while, i just let myself believe that everyone was going to hurt you in the end so why bother, but that perspective has made this life really lonely and sad. it’s turned me into a person that i don’t want to be with hardly anyone who truly knows me. i came to notice that the only thing i’ve had in common with people since i was like 17 was that we smoked and it’s not the best basis of a friendship.

with the pandemic and being out of school, i’ve found it impossible to find anyone my age that is like me. that is interested in the same things, that sees the world in a similar way. making friends is hard. finding your people is even harder. i’ve tried going across the country, little coffee shops around town, hell even bff mode on bumble. so this is my next resort and hopefully i’m successful. i’m going to list a few things about me and a few interests and if you’d like to be friends, please shoot me a message so we can exchange snapchats or something and make it happen!

and p.s. if you’re one of my two irl friends on here... surprise :)

im 19, an infp, raised in vegas. i used to make films and have always loved storytelling but i got caught up in working when i was sixteen (still working on getting back to that). regardless, i like making my life feel like a movie. i love making day trips to the beaches in california, i’ve felt like it is the place where i belong in the world since i was 13 and i hope to go out there and get a place one day. long drives down pch at sunset is the happiest that i’ll be. i love going on long drives with the windows down and music loud in general, but i dont know shit about cars. i love traveling and seeing the world when i can, i just recently went to new york. i love mac miller more than most people, he changed my life and saved it more times than i can count. frank ocean is also the shit, i like a lot of music like that but also some alt hip hop like smino and all of them or indie like wallows. i love getting tattoos, i want to fill my body up with ink and art as the years pass. i love coffee and making drinks, i was a barista for a while, best job i ever had. i’ve recently found myself reflecting on my life and putting the pieces together to realize that i am trans. taking a trip if you catch my drift really helped me accept that. i’m still scared to come out to anyone other than my girlfriend. 

i don’t know if this is gonna work. but if you found this message through one of the tags, hit me up :)

bryce.

[dutchster]

when it’s november 1st

[crazyaboutlefandoms]

Songs with the same bpm but played over different than original video tracks give me life

[celine-korno]

Redraw of miles I did

[likeitaughtyou]

[its-kyleen-bitchh]

imagine slow dancing to this w the girl you love in your kitchen.. pure heaven

[ailurophile-xx]

Sex

[000yellow000]

this mix will never get old ever ever

[smashface96]

@smokingsunflower

[eli-vit]

[vladworksjustfine]

He MURDERED THIS

[thatofficial70show]

[kid-with-plans]

Pride

I take pride only in two things:

~my sexuality

~my Hogwarts’ house

[ezrastudyblr-blog]

Do you have any tips for someone who will have to balance high school sports, club sports, academic clubs, and 8 classes? I know I'll be drowning myself but I'm a junior and my dream uni has a 9% acceptance rate so I'm trying to look my best. Thanks☺

Hey there cutie! Your schedule sounds like mine; I’m a junior too, and have a whole bunch of classes and extracurriculars and sports, so i know where you’re coming from. As for advice I’d say this:

start a bullet journal

so this summer i started my bullet journal, which you can find here, and it’s one of the best things i could have done. it’s helped me get my life together, organize my thoughts, and keep my activities in check. 

also, it may seem intimidating at first( i was pretty nervous when i first started it, i though i wouldn’t be able to keep it up and that it wouldn’t help), but there are plenty of resources out there to help you out. 

here is a masterpost about how to start one

and here is a bunch of other bullet journals!!!

school masterposts and tips

here is tips for struggling students

this is a masterpost on being sucessful in school

here is my tag for a bunch of tips for on school stuff

here are some good educational videos

motivation stuff!!!

here

here

Stay on top of what you need to stay on top of

this is a list of stuff you need to keep track of junior and senior year, which i think is hella helpful!!!

junior year tips here

ACT, SAT, and AP stuff 

here

here

here

Also, I’d say keep track of your college dates and stuff

Also here are some more tips

Make a list of every club and activity you’re a part of, keep track of important dates and stuff

make sure you have a planner!!!

also, i know you’re involved in so so many things, and i know that you don’t want to hear this, but if you get too overwhelmed youu might want to let a few things go. Just yesterday, i decided to discontinue involvement with this one club, because i knew i wasn’t going to have time during the year. Seriously, don’t burn yourself bby.

this masterpost here

start looking for scholarships too btw, here and here and here

also everyone i’ve talked to about junior year has said that it’s hell, but some people said they just buckled down and went for it and stayed focused and they were the ones that weren’t as stressed i guess… so i’d say try to keep a positive attitude and keep your head up! you’ll survive this year!!

[ztudyin-deactivated20190528]

my post on tips for junior year from a while ago has gotten quite a few notes so i decided to make a part two.  I’ve survived a semester of junior year and have more tips for how to approach this hectic year. 

if you have a literary paper that needs to be written based on a certain book DO read it - i know some people are convinced you can rely entirely on the internet especially if it’s a famous book like The Great Gatsby or The Crucible but reading the book will allow you to formulate your own opinions on the text.  It will make it much easier to analyze the literature than solely relying on another interpretation of the text. 

this is more of a mental health tip - DO make a ‘done’ list as well as a ‘to-do’ list.  Sometimes it can be very intimidating to see how much work you need to get done on a to-do list.  Even when crossing out something you’ve done it’s often overwhelming to see how much work you have left. I like to write out ‘done’ lists to show me how much I’ve accomplished as well as seeing the work I have to do as well.  It provides more motivation in my opinion. 

DO take notes in class - this may seem obvious but I’ve noticed some people don’t take notes in class as well as they might from a textbook. Though a textbook can give you all the answers, the teacher is explaining a concept in a way to make you understand it in that moment.  Taking notes to recall a way a teacher explained something WILL definitely help later in recalling information. 

DO drink water!! I mentioned this in the last post but it’s no joke.  I used to be one of those people who didn’t drink that much water but now I have an app that reminds me to drink water.  You’ll feel so much healthier trust me!!

DO NOT put so much pressure on yourself.  Yes those grades are important but YOUR HEALTH IS TOO!! I need to stress this so much because I know friends who push themselves too hard and then crash at one point.  You need to know that there is only so much you can do and if you regulate the amount of work you do you’ll get more done than pressuring yourself to do more than you’re capable of doing. 

DO make a schedule or have a planner/app where you can keep track of everything that’s going on. Believe me, it will be so helpful to have everything planned out in one place.  Club meetings, dentist appointments, birthdays and social events can all get jumbled up without somewhere concrete to keep track of everything. 

DO use a sleep calculator to figure out when the best time to sleep is.  If you have a test or an important event the next day and you need to stay up a little later at night (not recommended but it happens) use a sleep calculator to find out when the best time to sleep is based on when you need to wake up.  Trust me, it makes waking up a whole lot easier. 

if you’re taking a language DO practice it everyday.  Even if you have class every other day, learning a language is like learning a math skill, you need to be constantly practicing it in order to truly learn the concept. 

DO prioritize.  Sometimes some things are going to be way more important than others to complete and even if you’re willing to do other work so that you don’t do whatever that important piece of work is - YOU NEED TO DO IT.  I know so many people who convince themselves they aren’t “procrastinating” because they’re completing other work but what they SHOULD be doing is completing the work thats due tomorrow or that is important. 

DO do the things that make you happy. If you like to blog about fashion then do that!! Who cares what others think?  If you want to start a youtube channel to cover sounds, do it!!  If it makes you happy, you’re passionate about it and it’s an outlet for you - it doesn’t matter what others think - do it!!! 

DO NOT feel pressure to act or dress a certain way.   If you want to wear sweats and a sweater you do that! If you wanna wear an incredible outfit with on point makeup do that too!!

DO prepare for tests early and days in advanced.  In freshman year it may have been possible to study for a test entirely the night before but in junior year it’s harder.  My math teacher gave me an incredible piece of advice: the day before the test, you should feel ready to take it as if it were on that day.  I know that may be a lot to ask in junior year but I’ve started following this advice and it has worked incredible for me because then the night before I consolidate my understanding and don’t feel as nervous. 

DO NOT let nerves, stress or anxiety get the better of you.  You can do this!!  I believe in you

My last piece of advice for this post and often the most difficult to not do - is get distracted.  Have a clear focus on what you want to do then DO IT! 

If you found these tips helpful let me know and I’ll make posts like this but with tips specific to events: APs, standardized tests, college, end of term exams, being social etc!! 

hope this was helpful!! xx

[biolostudy]

tips from a high school junior

@biolostudy here with her first (!!!) original post!

as the school year is wrapping up for me - this is my last week in class, then i am free for the summer - i decided to compile a list of things i learned that helped me survive the hell joy that is junior year!

Keep reading

[night-studying]

Reflections on Junior Year

Somehow I’ve survived until the end of junior year. I’m ¾ of the way done with high school as of tomorrow - it’s my last day! So, in celebration, here’s what I learned from 180 days of being a junior: 

You need to learn to prioritize. It is really, really, tempting to want to do it all - to be stage manager and be on a varsity sports team and play an instrument and get a 4.0 and volunteer at the soup kitchen on Saturday mornings - but unfortunately, that’s not realistic. It’s difficult to truly succeed in an endeavor if you can’t focus on it properly, so pick the things that truly matter to you. You don’t have to give up everything else, but realize you might not be able to spend all your energy on them. 

Stop guilt tripping yourself (psst, this includes being a perfectionist). I had a lot of trouble with this one. I got mad at myself when my grades went down, when I didn’t place well in SciOly, when I didn’t make Senior Districts, or even just when I was extra grouchy to people. Mistakes are part of being human. Knowing that will make your “failures” more bearable, and also make you happier. 

SLEEP. I slept about twice as much as I did in sophomore year (thanks to me prioritizing my ECs go figure) and I was honestly much, much more well balanced mentally. No more crying in the middle of class or snapping viciously at my best friend. Sleep is so emphasized yet most often ignored by students, but it really shouldn’t be. 

Push yourself in unexpected ways. A lot of us push ourselves quite regularly - for me it’s always been academically and in my extracurriculars - but sometimes we neglect the things we’re bad at, or are scared of. For me it was always talking to new people (especially guys lmao I don’t know why), but pushing yourself to do things you never would think of/want to do can be quite rewarding. I made a bunch of awesome friends this year I would never have met if I didn’t take that first step out of my shell. 

Efficiency > Time. 5 hours of studying with Netflix and your phone is not equivalent to 50 minutes of focused studying in the library. Take the time to figure out what type of learner you are (I’m very much a visual learner, I learn best from reading and flashcards), and tailor your studying to meet your needs. Aesthetic notes are amazing, but if they’re taking too much time, skip them. They are not your first priority (ahem, see #1). 

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. I finally went to the therapist after a full year of denying my anxiety problems and now I am much, much better at dealing with it. No matter what you’re dealing with, there’s help out there. You may need to put aside your apprehension (or your ego), but it will be worth it. 

Remember that you are young. I needed to remind myself that I still have the rest of my life in front of me, that one grade or botched presentation is not going to wreck my future career, and that I have so much more to live for. It helps, especially when you’re struggling, to know that there’s more to life later. 

Onward to senior year!

[thestudyaesthetic]

Hi! Do you have any tips for an upcoming junior?

I’ve had it told that junior year is always the most difficult and stressful year by upperclassmen and high school alumni. Once I entered, I realized that their words held a tone of sincerity because junior year was a challenging time for me, both academic and social-wise. As a junior, it is definitely the time to mature and to take your future in a more sophisticated, driven manner. You have to start thinking about college (the most frightening of all), taking your standardized tests, taking AP/IB classes, etc. It’s a stressful time, or it was to me. Here’s a few words of advice from a (soon-to-be) senior and post-junior in high school:

Do not slack off! Junior year as a whole is an important year because colleges focus on your junior year (and first semester senior year) grades. Keep up with your schoolwork and study for those tests, because in the long run, it can be a deciding factor to whether a college accepts you or not. 

Find something you’re passionate about and stick with it. Whether it be sports or marching band, if you have something that you love, don’t push it away. Embrace what you’re passionate about even if others disagree. You’ll be happier in the long run.

Take hard or challenging courses. I say this because not only colleges, but important people in your life, such as teachers, relatives, and of course your parents, want to see you test your limits and explore your boundaries. Difficult classes can stimulate your mind and are important factors of deciding what you want to do in life. Push yourself because you can always be better if you decide to put the work in. 

Start researching colleges and universities. Ah, yes. It is that time of your life where you think, “Oh, senior year is a year away. I still have time.” Wrong. That’s what I assumed and now I’m two weeks away from the end of another school year and I’m beginning the process of college applications. Start researching now while you have the opportunity so you won’t get stressed about it later. Go on college visits! (Those are always so much fun). Find facilities where you can see yourself on that campus, find institutions that have potential for the major you want to focus in, find universities that offer significant financial aid so that you can go to college. It all starts now, guys. The journey has just begun.

It’s never too early to start thinking about college essays or finding financial aid/scholarships. There are already scholarships out there for juniors; it’s never too early to start looking for ways that can help you get to where you want. Always pay attention to deadlines, and try not to go on scam websites. I suggest Cappex or Fastweb for scholarships. As for college essays, the five prompts that the Common App provides are available online 24/7. Start piecing together an idea of what you want to portray to the college of your dreams. It’s the one chance you get to show them the real you. Don’t take it for granted. Side note: For minority students, please check out the Bill Gates Millennium Scholarship. It will pay for all four years’ tuition at any college of your choosing (so long as you’re accepted). I’ve had two kids from my high school win two years in a row, and seeing them get to fulfill their dreams is something I wish I get the chance to do to.

Study for standardized tests! Two words – er, acronyms. SAT and ACT. These are basically the foundation for your college applications. Though they are extremely important from a certain viewpoint, don’t strive to be perfect. Just do the best you can do, and that’s that. Test scores do not define a person. Even though, you should definitely try either out and see which test you prefer. If you take the SAT, I encourage you to take subject tests because those are also quite helpful and you get to do a bit of showing off in subjects you are well acquainted in. I believe in you guys!

Be well rounded in extracurricular activities. These are important because colleges want to see what you’re passionate in, how you budget your time, and what you put your effort into. If you love band, stick with band. If you’re a musical theater tycoon, show colleges that you love being on that stage. Just don’t try and sign up for everything, because then colleges will be confused as to what exactly your passions are and just see an applicant trying to kiss ass by being in everything they can.

Help out in your community. Give back to your community! Volunteer and help out. Volunteering is never a bad thing. Maybe set up your own fundraising to help out an organization or charity. Be a good citizen.

Remember to relax. Listen, I know the upcoming year seems terrifying, and that’s probably why you messaged me in the first place (I hope this reply doesn’t terrify you too). But honestly, just relax. High school is supposed to be “the best four years of your life.” Don’t scoff at that; make it happen. This year, and the next year, and the years after that, are what matters. Not this day. It will be gone as soon as the sun rises in the morning. But just remember that you are you, and when you realize that, everything will just fall into place.

[busybby]

ok honeys, listen up! junior year of high school is rough but not impossible to get through. here are my top tips for making it through!! 

know that you are working towards your goals and they are getting closer!

stop carrying around that million pound book bag, just stop. it’s okay to not carry everything with you all the time. only carry what you’ll absolutely need for the next class or two (MAX!) and one other thing you can work on if you get spare time (an assignment, magazine, book, etc. but nothing that requires you to carry more than that one thing)

lmao this is @ myself but don’t carry around a bullet journal AND a planner- choose one. it’s okay to use both for your organizational needs but it’s a waste of energy and space to lug both around with you

find something that you like and use it as your go-to reward! it can be a coffee from starbucks, a new journal, an episode of tv or anything else you want. the trick is to make it consistent enough that you don’t have to think too much/put too much effort into rewarding yourself, but rare enough that it’s still a reward for you.

annotate everything. and i mean everything. write down every thought you have even if it seems dumb or you think you’ll remember it later. trust me, you won’t.

do you things you like. your high school career is winding down at this point- it’s not worth it to keep your music tastes a secret because you think people will think you’re weird. try that club you’ve always been vaguely curious about and use that pencil case even though it has hello kitty on it. it’s adorable and it doesn’t even matter. if it makes you happy, do it. i know it’s easier said than done, but just try.

always have something on you that you can work on in your free time. it can be a book you’re reading for pleasure or an essay that you need to turn in in three hours. take those extra 5 minutes and read a few pages or rewrite that sentence that you know just isn’t right. 

carry your laptop with you. i know it’s heavy and above i told you not to carry too much shit but as long as you’re careful and comfortable, you should bring it. you never know what the circumstances are going to be and we all know that we’re more comfortable working on our own keyboards rather than the school’s clunky, sticky ones. 

love your friends! if you don’t, find new ones! or not! just make sure the people in your life that you care about/are there frequently, are serving you in a positive way. when i say “serving” i don’t mean feeding you grapes, i mean bringing positive energy into your life.

befriend your teachers and other teachers that aren’t your own. 

start college research in january. it doesn’t have to be anything serious, just consider what you might want to do with your life, the tests you might have to take, etc.

take your standardized tests at the end of this year!!! trust me!! mine are in 1 week and 3 weeks, aka right after schools starts. i do not appreciate myself for putting them off so long. plus if it’s at the end of the school year i recommend doing the june test date. i didn’t take them then because i was afraid i would be too focused on finals but if you’re in ap or ib the testing is in april/may so you should be fine.

and start studying for them as soon as possible. there are lots of free resources online but buying a practice book is a tried and true way to raise your score. you don’t need a bajillion dollar tutor (or college counselor), just get disciplined and start a schedule. if you start studying early enough you won’t even have to do it very often except for when the test gets closer. i’ve been practicing act math for 2-3 weeks now and i’ve already raised my math score about 2 points. 

love yourself! start a self care routine! start valuing yourself, your time, your work, your effort.

be grateful <3

learn new things on your own, read articles and books and absorb as much content as possible. podcasts are great to listen to and if you can’t handle the commitment of a novel try just reading some narrative articles- you’ll find them in magazines/online publications easiest. 

have fun. start discovering yourself. it’s a life long process but take the time junior year when you’re going through a ridiculous amount of emotions to get to know yourself and who you are now. it doesn’t matter if you change in a month, it just matters if you know you’re changing and can adapt/take care of yourself still.

hope this was helpful!! looking back these are mostly any-time-in-your-life tips but whatever. lots of love!

xoxo annie

[studenting]

Any advice for my junior year, ap bio, and sat? Thanks :)

JUNIOR YEAR

1. It’s true when they say that junior year is the hardest!! 

2. DO YOUR HOMEWORK! Try to get as much done as soon as you get home so you have more time to relax. 

3. Do not slack!! Minimize procrastination as much as possible!! (x) (x)

4. Have a no-fuckboy policy pls n thx.

5. Start volunteering now if you haven’t! 

6. Take your grades seriously. 

7. Drugs, drinking, and smoking are not cool. At all. They will rob you of your happiness.

8. Love yourself. Allow yourself to experience failure. Do not get caught up in relationships or friendships that you know aren’t going to last. It will save you from unnecessary heartbreak. 

9. Your mental health comes first. Take care of yourself mentally and physically. Exercise, watch your favorite shows, read your favorite books, eat your favorite foods. Do the things you love. SLEEP. GET ENOUGH SLEEP.

10. Don’t do things just to impress other people. Don’t take 7 AP courses in one year just to prove yourself to OTHER people. Don’t just try to stack up AP courses if you aren’t interested in the topic whatsoever and if they won’t actually help you in college. Look at the colleges you plan on applying to to see which courses they offer AP credit for so you don’t waste your time and sanity.

AP BIO

So I haven’t taken the class, but here are some resources:

AP Bio Materpost by subrnariner 

AP Bio Prep Books !!! from this post by raincoffeebooks

Bozemanscience AP Biology

free edX courses on AP Biology

Ultimate AP Biology Vocabulary Review 

crash course biology on youtube

you could join this ap bio study group by studyign

SAT

You’re probably focusing more on the redesigned March 2016 SAT, but I highly recommend that you take the current SAT as many times as you can! I have a feeling it’s easier than the new one. I’ll give you some resources for both, although I know nothing about the new one. 

Current SAT:

Huge SAT Post by university-bound 

SAT Prep Books from this post by raincoffeebooks

SAT Masterpost by appsademia

theyuniversity‘s SAT tag

SAT Help by studyign

khanacademy (goes through an entire practice test and has extra problems)

official SAT practice tests by the college board

The 1000 Most Common SAT Words 

As for personal advice, umm… I don’t have much! For the math section, take a few practice tests and do only the math sections. Do them at your own pace, making sure you get them right. Then, as you build confidence, start timing the sections with the amount of time listed in the beginning of the section. The writing section isn’t difficult, but the essay… just terrible. Think of some examples that you could use for a variety of prompts and have them mastered for when you have to take the test. Critical reading- I have no advice for that. I suck in that area. Make flashcards for the 1000 most common SAT words that I linked above. 

Redesigned 2016 SAT:

khanacademy (they also offer lots of resources for the new SAT)

That’s all I have for the new one… 

Hope this helps you!! :)

[itsdelicatelyher]

Having a bit of a day, but this lighting makes it better.

[tbhstudying]

i’m entering my junior year, any general tips?

another anon asked;any tips for surviving junior year?

a whole bunch of other people and anons also asked the same thing sjdkjdskjdskjds i’m just real bad at keeping up with asks. all links will probably be helpful.

at first, you don’t

you don’t

you don’t

expectations are higher now

and then you do

you cope

you adapt

you learn

you learn to manage your time better

you learn to stop procrastinating

or at least, how to stop procrastinating to such an extreme level

we all procrastinate, but you learn to procrastinate a little better, a little less, in a more manageable way

self-discipline will last you longer than a single spark of motivation ever will

prioritize.

it’s like school but school on steroids

in retrospect, junior year shouldn’t have been that hard, it shouldn’t have been as intense, it shouldn’t have felt any different

but it does

do not forget about your grades!

sure, you might get bad grades every once in a while, but there are ways to improve them

standardized tests. get them done. get them figured out. here is a video that i made w/ tips

what do your colleges on your list want? what are their requirements? make sure to get them done because senior year will be busy for you.

tests. 

study for them. 

take them with a clear mind, a steady breath, try to be prepared as best you can.

cramming isn’t the best, but you might (will) have to do it depending on how well you manage your time

don’t forget that you’re human too. you need time to recharge. you need time to socialize.

be kind to your teachers. your teachers can be your friends. your teachers will also be the ones to write you recommendations for college.

spare time in your schedule to hang out with your friends. this helped me stay sane in the middle of the toughest times.

stay positive

got classes that you hate? it’s okay, you only have a year’s worth of them. you can make it through.

school is not the end-all-be-all

get some extracurriculars that you genuinely enjoy in there too

you might be tempted to swear it all off for the sake of focusing

don’t. that’s a dumb decision. you will regret it.

it might be tough, but it’s rewarding at the end. you’ll make new memories, friends, everything good and fluffy and shiny in the world

(also college applications like to see that too)

get enough sleep

“ha ha seo ur so funny what a dumb joke” no.

i’m genuine. you may not feel like it is possible but it is. i know five people who slept every night at least before 10 pm and they survived with 4.0 at the end of the year. it is possible.

fix that sleep schedule on weekends, during breaks, whenever you can

it’ll hurt. it’ll be hard. it’ll be tough. you will feel like you will cry.

but you will make it in the end.

you will survive.

you will heal.

you will flourish.

[ztudyin-deactivated20190528]

everyone will tell you junior year is going to be rough and no matter whether you were a slacker or on top of all your classes during the last two years, junior year will be faster and there will be more work to do.  This is a list of things to do and not to do during junior year

do NOT slack off on readings in AP classes oriented around textbooks.  your teachers want you to read for a reason.  If you understand a concept fully then skim but if you’re struggling its like that your textbook can help you out a lot.

DO ask questions - believe me there are tons of other kids who want to ask the same question as you during class and if no one ends up asking it how will any of you know the answer?  Ask the question - it helps - don’t be scared about being judged because everyone is at school to LEARN

DO take a break every now and then - if you work super hard throughout the week leave Friday evening to yourself.  Read a book, take a walk, exercise, hang out with friends just do whatever makes you happy

PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE - I cannot stress how important this is for all your classes.  Doing practice FRQ’s or MC or just math problems periodically before a test can be RIDICULOUSLY helpful

do NOT procrastinate - this will lead to falling behind which makes it very hard to catch up especially in junior year

 DO keep the things in your life that make you happy - don’t feel obliged to keep things out of guilt - if it isn’t working out anymore just slowly distance yourself

DO read!! Reading is so important + broadens your writing abilities + increases reading speed and comprehension for standardized tests

DO get into the habit of drinking teas instead of coffees - they’re so much better for you!!

DO stay healthy - this is so important and I mean staying healthy in all ways.  Eat well, sleep enough and drink plenty of water!!

DO know that it’s not a competition - there will always be someone one step ahead of you and that’s okay.  The only person you should compare yourself to is yourself.

DO create smart goals and use them as inspiration to push yourself to do the best you possibly can

do NOT let one bad grade frustrate you or demotivate you - school is a learning process.  Realize your mistakes, pick yourself up and do better next time.

DO realize when you’re overworking yourself - we are not superheroes.  we’d like to be able to work for 15 hours straight but that is slightly impractical for some of us and that’s not a bad thing.  take breaks when you need to - you know yourself better than anyone else

If you found these tips helpful let me know and I’ll make a part 2!!

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i’m going into my junior year of high school, the time when many students are getting ready to apply for college. many of my friends and peers have been concerned about what, exactly, they should be doing to prepare this year, and when. so, we held a college information session. this may be geared towards my specific area/region, but hopefully everyone can take something out of this. here are some tips that we learned:

ON COLLEGE VISITS

questions to ask:

what is your freshman retention rate?

what is the percentage of students that graduate in 4 years? (new statistic: ¾ of students don’t; the average student takes 5 ½ years to graduate)

make sure there is written documentation of your visit

when reviewing applications, colleges note “touch points”– these include things like taking an official tour, sending in those cards you get in the mail, or something as easy as emailing one of their admissions counselors with a simple question. they’ll keep your information, and it may give you an advantage over other students because you showed you’re seriously interested in their school. so, even if you’re taking an informal campus tour, make sure to stop in the admissions office and fill out one of those cards with your information. it’ll be added into their system as a touch point– and you’re already one step ahead!

TESTING

some things to remember:

the SAT and ACT are, for the most part, equally accepted by colleges.

certain schools may require an SAT subject test. make sure to check out programs you’re interested in so that you can prepare all of its requirements.

the SAT is a test of aptitude, while the ACT is more knowledge-based and straightforward. 

if you’re bright and a good test taker but maybe you don’t get the best grades, the SAT may be more fit for you.

if you’re more studious and focused on grades and retaining information you’ve learned in class, the ACT may be a better match. 

a guidance counselor recommends: take both tests once, and whichever you feel you performed better on, take it again. 

many colleges like to see growth in scores because it shows you’re really working towards something. this may change depending on the selectivity of the school, but consider this before only sending your best score. 

if you know what colleges you’re interested in, check and see what they prefer/require before taking the tests. most likely, you’ll save yourself a lot of time, effort, and money in the long run.

SO, WHEN SHOULD I BE DOING ALL OF THIS?

here’s a timeline of what was recommended for your junior year

October: 

take the PSAT again (this is the year that you can qualify for NMSQT). i’m not sure if this applies everywhere but i know where i live, this is a requirement.

if your school uses Naviance, make sure you have your login information. you should be using the tools it provides to research colleges and find out more about jobs you may be suited for.

November/December

take the ACT or SAT. if you’ve already taken the SAT, i suggest taking the ACT before doing the SAT again. 

this is around the time you should start visiting colleges if you haven’t already. if you can’t go to schools, look for information sessions and college fairs near you. if you’re on a college’s email list, they’ve likely sent you dates that they offer tours or perhaps are even hosting information sessions closer to you.

April/May/June

start asking for letters of recommendation!! many teachers give letters on a first-come-first-serve basis, so get ahead. usually you want to have 2-4 of these. think about programs and schools you may apply for, and think about what subject teachers may be most helpful in your application. also, check schools’ websites and see what they recommend/require. outside letters are also okay, if they’re from someone who knows you and your work ethic well. 

consider taking the SAT or ACT again. 

schedule your senior year. it’s no longer a time to slack off; colleges now look at your grades as late as third marking period. continue to challenge yourself, but also take electives that interest you to get a better idea of what careers you may want to pursue.

get the Common App essays from your guidance counselor. you should at least think about these over the summer to get an idea of what you’ll say in your application essays.

August

this is when the Common App is available for that year. many, but not all schools, use this. do your own research to decide if it’s a necessity for you.

MISC. TIPS

very few students partake in college interviews anymore. requesting and interview may set you apart from other students (touch point!), but it is definitely not required or even recommended by the vast majority of schools.

if you know you will be going to grad school or a higher ed program, think about where you want to concentrate your money. a cheaper but respected undergraduate school may be a great idea to save money for a great graduate school. (you probably don’t care where your doctor went for their undergrad, but where’d they go to med school?)

MAKE SURE YOU’RE MEETING YOUR SCHOOL’S GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS.

check to see what courses certain colleges recommend you take in high school. this may be a good way to plan the rest of your high school schedule, and also gauge whether or not you can achieve a college’s expectations.