Highschool 101

• Set a regular bedtime. Going to bed at the same time each night signals to your body that it’s time to sleep. Waking up at the same time every day can also help establish sleep patterns. So try to stick to your sleep schedule even on weekends. Don’t go to sleep more than an hour later or wake up more than 2 to 3 hours later than you do during the week.
• Exercise regularly. Try not to exercise right before bed, though, as it can rev you up and make it  harder to fall asleep. Many sleep experts believe that exercising 5 or 6 hours before bedtime (in late afternoon) may actually help a person sleep.
• Avoid stimulants. Don’t drink beverages with caffeine, such as soda and coffee, after 4 PM. Nicotine is also a stimulant, so quitting smoking may help you sleep better. And drinking alcohol in the evening can also cause a person to be restless and wake up during the night.
• Relax your mind. Avoid violent, scary, or action movies or television shows right before bed — anything that might set your mind and heart racing. Reading books with involved or active plots may also keep you from falling or staying asleep.
• Unwind by keeping the lights low. Light signals the brain that it’s time to wake up. Staying away from bright lights (including computer screens!), as well as meditating or listening to soothing music, can help your body relax.
• Don’t nap too much. Naps of more than 30 minutes during the day may keep you from falling asleep later.
• Avoid all-nighters. Don’t wait until the night before a big test to study. Cutting back on sleep the night before a test may mean you perform worse than you would if you’d studied less but got more sleep.
• Create the right sleeping environment. Studies show that people sleep best in a dark room that is slightly on the cool side. Close your blinds or curtains (and make sure they’re heavy enough to block out light) and turn down the thermostat in your room (pile on extra blankets or wear PJs if you’re cold). Lots of noise can be a sleep turnoff, too.
• Wake up with bright light. Bright light in the morning signals to your body that it’s time to get going.

Does it seem like there’s never enough time in the day to get everything done? Feel like you’re always running late? Here are some tips for taking control of your time and organizing your life.

1. Make a “To Do” List Every Day.

Put things that are most important at the top and do them first. If it’s easier, use a planner to track all of your tasks. And don’t forget to reward yourself for your accomplishments.

2. Use Spare Minutes Wisely.

Get some reading done on the bus ride home from school, for example, and you’ll kill two birds with one stone.

3. It’s Okay to Say “No.”

If your boss asks you to work on a Thursday night and you have a final exam the next morning, realize that it’s okay to say no. Keep your short- and long-term priorities in mind.

4. Find the Right Time.

You’ll work more efficiently if you figure out when you do your best work. For example, if your brain handles math better in the afternoon, don’t wait to do it until late at night.

5. Review Your Notes Every Day.

You’ll reinforce what you’ve learned, so you need less time to study. You’ll also be ready if your teacher calls on you or gives a pop quiz.

6. Get a Good Night’s Sleep.

Running on empty makes the day seem longer and your tasks seem more difficult.

7. Communicate Your Schedule to Others.

If phone calls are proving to be a distraction, tell your friends that you take social calls from 7-8 p.m. It may sound silly, but it helps.

8. Become a Taskmaster.

Figure out how much free time you have each week. Give yourself a time budget and plan your activities accordingly.

9. Don’t Waste Time Agonizing.

Have you ever wasted an entire evening by worrying about something that you’re supposed to be doing? Was it worth it? Instead of agonizing and procrastinating, just do it.

10. Keep Things in Perspective.

Setting goals that are unrealistic sets you up for failure. While it’s good to set high goals for yourself, be sure not to overdo it. Set goals that are difficult yet reachable.

Consider these tips, but personalize your habits so that they suit you. If you set priorities that fit your lifestyle, you’ll have a better chance of achieving your goals.

• Never carry more than 15% of your bodyweight. This means if you weigh 100 pounds you shouldn’t wear a loaded school backpack heavier than 15 pounds.
• Load heaviest items closest to the your back  (the back of the pack).
• Arrange books and materials so they won’t slide around in the backpack.
• Check what you carry to school and bring home. Make sure the items are necessary to the day’s activities.
• On days the backpack is too loaded, you can hand-carry a book or other item.

Registration! This is usually about 2 weeks before school and at registration you will most likely recieve your schedule, ID, PE clothes, books and more. You will turn in you paper work and take you yearbook picture. This is a good time to get the lay of the land.

…if you’re not that popular!

• Step 1

Focus on your grades. That’s the most important thing about being in school, getting an education. High school is not a fashion runway or a prison cell, so don’t treat it like one. Knowledge is power.

• Step 2

 Be on good terms with your teachers. More than the opinion of your peers, it’s the teacher’s opinion of you that really matters. If they like you, you’re more likely to pass their class. If they don’t…well it might not matter how well you do on your homework.

• Step 3

If you’re “different” you’re probably going to get picked on or teased. Brush it off, like I said, the opinions of peers that are NOT your friends don’t matter. If you’re being bullied or hazed during the school day, then please take the problem to a trusted adult, teacher, or school administrator. You don’t have to deal with it alone.

• Step 4

Find a group of reliable friends who like you the way you are. You don’t need to change for anybody, especially not a group of people you’ll never see again after you graduate. Friends give you great support and can stave off loneliness and depression.