high school tips !
from a rising junior that... sorta slacked and human disaster’d her way through 10th grade so don’t be a me (but i learned a lot of lessons). obviously, it’s case by case (ex: some guidance counselors may be shitty, i’m sorry if that’s the case for you) so obvi take these things with a grain of salt. honestly your one take away from this post should be: do what’s best for you and yes, you can do this.
notes. write your notes in real-time. meaning that you don’t have to make them super pretty, 1000+ likes and rbs worthy on the spot. you can always re-write and/or re-type them later (and doing so helps with studying and keeping the material fresh in your head!), but when you’re in class, just jot things down in a way that you can understand and condense it later.
counselors. talk to your guidance counselor. i was so afraid to talk to my counselor because i thought that i would be judged or that it would be like one of those teen drama horror stories where they just don’t understand!1!! but honestly, when i went to my first appointment with mine, i felt so good. your counselor is an impartial adult figure in your life, they’re there for you, not to snitch to your parents/guardians/teachers/friends.
counselors p2. counselors can also link you up with in-school and out of school resources that are so important (so utilize them, if you can!). for example, i confided in my counselor about my anxiety and certain thoughts that could endanger myself, and importantly about how i felt suffocated by all the pressures in my life. he talked me through options, which included in-school professional counseling (which i never knew about before) and a free community counseling service. he also reminded me that there is no pressure and i can always come to him to talk. you guys, i can’t stress this enough: guidance counselors are godsend.
novel study. i know sometimes it’s way easier to just use sparknotes or enotes for ISUs/novel studies and the temptation is too real (and sometimes, necessary to give into, depending on priorities and individual grade goals). but honestly, through the “mandatory” reading in my courses, i’ve been introduced to some of the most amazing books that remain my favorites ever! bonus points, if you’re familiar with and enjoying the novel, the teacher will notice, through your responses/projects/etc, so more of a chance to boost that mark!!
two planners. if your school gives you an agenda (like mine does, since our academic set-up is very unique and it even comes with school-specific printables, #studyblr af lol), get another one for personal/other commitments like work, extra curriculars, etc! trust me, it’ll help keep you sane to separate academics and personal life.
study group. i think besides the guidance counselor part, this is the next most important tip: form a study group. i’m not telling you to go assemble your avengers of straight A students, but find people who are committed to a like goal and work hard. for example, my friends and i all abhor math. but we knew we all needed to pass and get the best marks we could, so we met up bi-weekly/once a week to do homework / go over notes / pray to khan academy and generally just help each other out. and we did pass, all of us 80+ averages.
the experience. i know that this community is embodied by the grind never stops™; we all have big dreams, aspirations, goals, and by all means chase them. this is gonna sound cheesy, but don’t forget to breathe, to drink in the moment, to take the good things as they come. i used to be the kind of person that opted out of school functions because i thought it was cool to skip out and go home/elsewhere but i’m telling you now (and if you have the means to!) go to the dance, watch the game, attend the end of year bbq. HS moves so fast, i feel like i was a niner yesterday and tbh, i still feel like a niner. so enjoy the time you have with your friends and community, don’t take it for granted and have fun!!