The New Year is just around the corner and it’s a popular tradition to make a resolution or two. This is an especially good idea for students in high school. Almost all of us have a few bad habits here or there and January 1st is a good reminder to make a change.
Organization is the key to staying sane as a full-time student. Spending a few minutes each week to keep things organized and up to date can be a huge blessing later on.
– Keep your electronic planner up to date
– Clean and organize your study area
– Make a list of all your assignments along with the due date and keep them in a conspicuous place (READ: “How to Balance Sports and Academics“)
If you have been struggling with math for the last few years, now is the time to call an Orange County academic tutor and get some help. You may wish that you did this two or three years ago but there’s no time like the present to make that one tough subject a little bit easier (READ: “10 Study Tips From an Irvine History Tutor“).
If you are a freshman or sophomore in high school, 2015 would be a great time to start thinking about college prep. Many juniors and seniors find themselves so stressed out with the multiple academic obligations that occur as an upperclassman. Make it a point to avoid this stress by planning for your future.
– Take a PSAT practice exam (with the help from one our Southern California PSAT tutors)
– Start researching potential colleges and universities
– Think about what you might like to major in once you start college
– Arrange to take SAT or ACT prep classes this summer
– Take a class in essay writing over the summer so that you’re prepared well in advance
Many students become overwhelmed with the amount of volunteer hours that they must complete in order to both graduate high school and successfully enter college. January 1st is a great time to sign up for a volunteer or community service program and get some of those hours out of the way. Take some time to think about something that you enjoy so that the time goes by faster. Choose an amount of hours, for example 40, and pick a date for completion, for example July 1st, 2015. Make it a resolution to finish all of these hours by the completion date, and make the next academic year easier than this one (READ: “Getting Your Community Service Credits“).
Many students spend between 8 and 12 hours a day focusing on school and other college prep activities. Although it’s very important to spend the appropriate amount of time on these worthy tasks, it is also important to just enjoy being a teenager. Some students are already overwhelmed at this point in the school year; their best resolution would be to give themselves a school/life balance. Arrange to do something each week with a friend, Such as going to see a funny movie or spending some time at the beach or at your favorite coffee shop. Enjoy an hour talking about something other than school and just let yourself unwind for a little bit each week. Many stressed out students find that yoga or meditation can help them get through the difficulties of the college preparation process. Put an alarm on your phone to remind you to sit down for 10 to 15 minutes each day and meditate or simply relax.
Whether you need to get serious about school or learn to relax a little bit, make at least one New Year’s resolution that will benefit your education and yourself in some way. Here’s to an excellent 2015.
All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by TutorNerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at [email protected] for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us post about.
