Wellness for Teens

 

Making the Best of Your School Year

by Kevin MacKinnon

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Every year I ask myself, "How can I make the most out of this school year?" At the beginning of each year my notes are in perfect handwriting: all lined up on the blue lines and equally spaced. It doesn't take long to lose my form. Within a week my handwriting is back to its usual style: the aim is to keep it within the blue lines and many times I fail. The same goes with my study habits, a gradual decrease within the first few days and then a sudden drop. Noting this I thought I would discuss ways that students can make the best out of their studies.

The first step is to set goals both short and long term, keeping in mind the big picture, that is your future job. An example of a short term goal may be a midterm mark in a class. Long term goals could be the end of semester mark, or even the job you aspire to. Be realistic by setting goals that are reachable. After recognizing what your goals are it is necessary to decide how you should accomplish them. If you realize that your interest is in the Arts take Art courses in high school. If you want to be a journalist report for the school newspaper.
It helps to be reminded of our goals so write them down in a notebook that you use daily whether it is your English notebook or a journal you keep. Write down why you want to accomplish your goals. Everyone has different techniques that work for them. For some rewarding yourself with a CD or a trip, depending on the goal, is a good incentive. Some tips for A+ing a class are:
1. Pay attention in class;
2. Be prepared for class;
3. Participate in class (this will help you remember what you are responsible for);
4. Look over your notes nightly (some people condense them);
5. Get help as soon as its needed;
6. Ask questions; and
7. Use your time wisely - if you are given class time use it. It will save you valuable time or at least lighten your school bag.

Keep these tips in mind. Remember life is not about a mark on a test but a number of things - so don't stress yourself out. You must always put things in perspective and see the whole picture. Some people, in order to get high marks get caught up in memorizing a text book. What is the use of that if you don't understand it? We may learn many specific details in a text but the main goal of schooling is to learn how to apply this to everyday life. It is far beyond memorization!

I must admit that I don't use all the tips that I have listed but I still accomplish my goals by remembering a few. Ideally, you could follow all these points and get high grades but realistically, you can only do so much with your time.

 

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