School, Writing

Starting off the School Year on the Right Foot


Starting off The School Year on the Right Foot

It’s that time again! Back to school. Maybe you’re excited, or maybe you aren’t, but here are some tips for starting school on a path for learning, accomplishment, and of course, good grades.

Make sure you have all the supplies you need.

If your teacher has a list of supplies you need to bring in to class on the first day, make sure you have them. Include these items in your back to school shopping and keep them in a spot where you won’t lose them before the first day. Sometimes there are supplies that aren’t necessarily required, but could make your life at school a lot easier. Scotch tape, scissors, and highlighters are generally helpful to have at school. Some stores sell mini staplers that can be handy if you need to staple something while the teacher is talking so you don’t have to walk across the room during instructional time. Also, colorful pens can make note taking a lot less boring. Keep all these items in a pencil case with your name on it so you can bring them easily from class to class.

Write things down.

Oftentimes people will forget about things they’re supposed to do if they simply try to keep them in their mind, which is why you should write them down. You might want to get a planner for yourself for that purpose. Make a habit of writing down assignments and reminders immediately upon getting the information. If you ever lose your planner or leave it at school, ask a classmate for the assignments.

Go to bed early, early.

If you’ve been staying up late and sleeping in all summer, chances are, it will be difficult to get up and get ready on the morning of the first day of school. Start going to bed early and getting up early a few days to a week before school starts so you’ll be prepared. Choosing a general bedtime and setting an alarm can help with this.

Check your grades frequently.

Once school gets going and you start doing assignments and taking tests and quizzes, you should keep up with grades. Set aside a time each week designated to checking. If you’re not happy with a grade you’ve gotten on something, don’t beat yourself up about it. Ask about retaking or getting extra credit. If that’s not an option, be sure to study extra hard on future assessments in order to bring up your grade. Too often students won’t look at their grades until the final report cards come out, and by then, their teachers can’t do anything to help them, so check your grades often so this doesn’t happen to you.

Stay neat and organized.

Practice making your notes neat and legible, and file them away in a binder or folder with tabs so you know where to find them when you need them. If you often get flyers or handouts that don’t belong in any of your binders, you may want to keep a folder in your backpack so you don’t have to shove loose papers inside, where they’ll get crumpled up.

Relax.

Finally, if you’re worried about the schoolyear, take a minute to relax and enjoy your last few days of summer. Also, try to develop a positive attitude towards school. Even if you’re not looking forward to it, at least attempt to find something you’re excited about. It will make you much happier and less tense. Using these tips will help drastically with managing your schoolwork, grades, and your stress level.

Lydia Bloodworth

Lydia is currently a graduated Springboarder and former president of Girlspring. She hopes her content will help and inspire other teen girls.

More Posts

You may also like

Leave a Reply