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collegeessayguy · 4 years

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Have the adults in your life been hassling you about making the most of high school in preparation for college? Maybe you’ve been nudged towards classes that will look good on your transcript or lovingly pushed in the direction of extracurriculars that lend themselves to impressive application essays?

If that sounds familiar, I want you to know: that’s not what this article is about.

There are so many things to do in high school but, in some cases, the preoccupation with using high school as a tool to get into college can make life miserable and activities unenjoyable.

But there is hope high school is about more than preparing for college. If you want to make good use of your high school years and prepare for college and have a good time, the tips below are for you.

1. PRACTICE GOOD TIME MANAGEMENT IN HIGH SCHOOL, SINCE IT’S LIKELY TO GET HARDER IN COLLEGE.

Using a calendar to track your day is an easy way to start managing your time a bit better. Some people prefer an old-school, pen-and-paper planner. Studies show that writing things down with your hand (rather than typing them onto a screen), makes you more likely to remember them.

But your paper planner can’t send reminders to your phone. If you prefer tech, you can’t go wrong with good ol’ Google calendar. (It’s what I use.) iCalendar is also great, or your parents might have a Cozi Calendar membership you can take advantage of.

Here’s what your calendar might look like:

Regardless of the type of calendar you use, here are a few basics of good time management:

Put tests, practices, events, meetings, appointments, project due dates, and days off into your calendar as soon as you find out about them—this could be as early as the first week of the semester when you get your syllabus. Once you know when something is due, decide how long it will take to do it. Work backwards and schedule time into your calendar to work on that project or study.

For example, if your science project is due on May 10th, you could allot one hour each day to work on it, May 1 - 9. Or maybe two hours every two days.

Make sure there’s space in your schedule for downtime and fun, too! If need be, block out time to see your friends or just binge that new Netflix show. That way, when someone asks you to help them study on Sunday afternoon, you can tell them you’re busy. Busy watching the new season of Game of Thrones, that is.

2. BALANCE YOUR STUDIES WITH LIFE

You know that colleges favor well-rounded applicants–people who volunteer and get good grades, test well and take part in their communities. But balancing your studies and life is about more than just creating a competitive college application.

Taking time away from your studies will invigorate you and activate different parts of your brain. Making art, playing soccer, or just going to a concert will recharge your mental batteries in a way that a 10-minute study break can’t. Participating in life outside of academics also boosts your creativity, increases your emotional intelligence, and helps you strengthen relationships.

And just as importantly–it’s fun.

Make time to get out of your books and into your life.

3. GET INVOLVED WITH ON-CAMPUS (AND OFF-CAMPUS!) ORGANIZATIONS.

Explore a few of your school’s organizations–try the debate club, Ultimate Frisbee, fencing, or student government. If your school doesn’t have any organizations that light your fire, try starting your own. Maybe lots of people would want to play Quidditch if you started a team?

If starting a school organization isn’t your style, explore the groups and organizations your community has to offer. Check out rec league sports, volunteer at the local animal shelter, or sing with your church’s choir.

Here are a few other ways to connect with people in your community:

Your local community center: You know that building in the park with all the flyers promoting rec league sports, town hall meetings, and litter pick ups? Poke your head in and see if there’s anything on the calendar that appeals to you. It’s a great way to get to know your neighbors.

Check out greatnonprofits.org to find a non-profit near you

Use the search feature at Idealist.org for even more.

Ask your counselor! There could be something coming up next week that you don’t even know about.

Connect with a local museum–many have teen programs and docent opportunities–or check with your local animal shelter, YMCA, temple, church, or synagogue.

Maybe even go back to your middle or elementary school and see how you can help.

4. GET TO KNOW YOUR TEACHERS

Fun fact: your teachers are real, actual humans who have senses of humor, hobbies, and interests outside of getting you to turn in your homework on time. Shocking, right?

One of the easiest ways to make the most of high school is to talk to your teachers and get to know them.

These conversations will give you deeper insights into the topics you’re studying and–bonus!– will probably (read: definitely) make it easier to get great teacher recommendations for your college applications.

5. TAKE CLASSES YOU LOVE, NOT NECESSARILY THE CLASSES YOU THINK WILL PLEASE YOUR PARENTS/GET YOU A GOOD JOB/MAKE YOU MONEY.

When you’re applying to competitive universities, it’s tempting to stuff your schedule with ‘impressive’ courses you think will look good on applications. AP Calc BC! AP Physics! AP Japanese! If you truly want to take AP Calc or feel it will help with your dream of becoming a civil engineer, take AP Calc. But when you stack your schedule with classes you don’t really like and then use those classes as the basis of your college application, you’re setting yourself up for a pretty miserable academic experience.

6. PRIORITIZE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND LEARN HOW BEST TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.

Real talk: college can be incredibly stressful. You’re juggling a challenging course load, applying for internships, working part time–all while living far from home with roommates you might not have chosen for yourself. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, right?

Use your slightly-less-stressful high school years to build good self-care habits. What does this look like? Well, it looks different for everyone, but these basics are a good start:

Get eight hours of sleep

Exercise 20 minutes each day

Drink enough (about half a gallon) of water per day

Limit social media use (and all the self-doubt that comes with it) by setting social media locks that shut you out after you’ve exceeded a certain time limit

Bonus Tip (if you have an iPhone): here’s how to make it work for you and not against you (one of my favorite productivity articles ever, btw)

Spending time with friends doing something other than studying or talking about college applications

Your high school experience doesn’t have to be a test run for college, filled only with test prep and ‘impressive’ classes. If you follow these tips, you can totally prepare for college while still enjoying high school.

#student life #high school #studyblr #study tips #college prep #education

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ambernorman222-blog · 5 years

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Things to do in High School To Prepare for College (Without Missing All The Fun Stuff)

Have the adults on your lifetime been hassling you in taking advantage of high school in prep for faculty? Perhaps you've been nudged towards courses which will look great in your transcript or pushed into the management of extracurriculars that give themselves to remarkable application essays?

If this sounds familiar, I would like you to understand: that is not what this guide is all about.

There are many things to do at high school however, sometimes, the preoccupation using high school for a tool to enter school can make life unhappy and actions enjoyable.

But there's hope high school is all about more than simply preparing for college. If you would like to create decent usage of your high school years and also prepare yourself for school and have a fantastic time, then the hints below are for you personally.

One reason faculty is more stressful compared to high school? You are much more independent. And as you are much more independent, life generally requires greater time control. You will have far more duties as well as your professors aren't likely to chase you to remind you of that deadline weekly. Not just this but your parents will not be only a couple of feet away and equipped to bug you once you knock off.

With a calendar to keep track of your daily life is an effortless method to begin handling your time a little better. Some people today prefer an old fashioned, pen-and-paper planner. Studies indicate that writing down things with your hands (instead of typing them on a display ), which makes you more inclined to recall them.

However, your paper planner can not send reminders for your mobile phone. In the event you would rather technology, then you can not fail with great old Google calendar. (It is exactly what I use.) ICalendar can also be good, or even your parents may have a Cozi Calendar membership it is possible to make the most of.

Here Is What your calendar may seem:

Put evaluations, events, practices, meetingsand appointments, and project due dates, and weeks away to your calendar the moment you learn about these --this might be as early as the first week of this session once you receive your syllabus.

As soon as you understand when something is expected, decide how much time it will have to perform it. Work backward and program time in your calendar to work on such a job or research.

Or perhaps two hours every 2 days.

Ensure that there's space on your program for both downtime and enjoyable, too! If need be, then block time to view your pals or merely binge that fresh Netflix show. This way, whenever someone asks you to allow them to research about Sunday afternoon, you could tell them you are busy. Busy watching the newest period of Game of Thrones, that's.

You understand that schools prefer well-rounded applicants--individuals who offer and receive great grades, examine well and get involved in their own communities. But balancing your research and life is more than simply developing a competitive school program.

Taking the time off from the research will demonstrate you and activate different portions of your mind. Making artwork, playing football, or only visiting some concert can recharge your emotional batteries in a manner a 10-minute research break can not. Engaging in existence out of academics also fosters your imagination, raises your mental intelligence, and assists you reinforce relationships.

And just as significantly --it is fun.

Be sure to escape your novels and in your own life.

ORGANIZATIONS.

High school is more than GPAs and SATs; it is frequently a location in which you form friendships. And at times it's simpler to form these friendships once you see folks out chemistry course.

Research some of your college's associations --attempt the discussion clubUltimate Frisbee, fencing, or pupil. If your college does not have some associations that light your own passion, consider beginning your own. Perhaps a lot of people might love to play Quidditch in case you began a group?

When beginning a college organization is not your style, research the classes as well as organizations in your neighborhood has to offer you. Have a look at rec team sports, volunteer in the local animal shelter, or even sing along with your church choir.

Meetup.com: A site which permits users to make occasions and meetup groups within their regional community any subject you can imagine: Pick-up baseball games, including book clubs, weekend, and painting classes, cellular program developer meetup groups for women. Have a curiosity? There is likely a meetup for this. Do not see it? Begin your own!

The regional community facility: You understand that building at the park including all the flyers encouraging rec league sports, town hall meetings, along with litter pick ups? Poke your head and see whether there's anything about the calendar which appeals to youpersonally. It is a terrific way to become familiar with your neighbors.

Take a Look at greatnonprofits.org to Locate a nonprofit near you

Use the search feature in Idealist.org for much more.

Consult your adviser! There might be some thing coming up next week which you don't know about.

Join using a local museum--most have adolescent programs and docent chances --or check to the regional animal refuge, YMCA, church, temple, or synagogue.

Perhaps even return to your central or middle school and find out how you can help.

Interesting fact: your instructors are actual, real people who own senses of humor, hobbies, and interests beyond getting one to turn in your assignments in time.

Among the simplest methods to take advantage of high school would be to speak with your instructors and get to understand them.

Stay after class and ask that issue which looked too comprehensive for the remaining part of the course. Inform them that you loved the final book they picked and inquire if they could suggest any comparable novels. Consult your Government instructor exactly what she thinks of the bill that is going through Congress.

These discussions will provide you deeper insights to the subjects you are analyzing and--bonus! -- will likely (read: certainly ) make it a lot easier to acquire good teacher recommendations to your school applications.

When you are applying to schools that are competitive, it is tempting to stuff your own program together with'remarkable' classes you think will look great on software. AP Physics! AP Japanese!

If you genuinely need to take AP Calc or believe it will assist with your fantasy of being a civil engineer, then consider AP Calc. However, while you pile your program with courses you do not really like and use those courses as the cornerstone of your school program, you are setting yourself up to get a fairly gloomy academic experience.

Actual talk: faculty can be incredibly stressful. You are juggling a difficult course loading, searching for internships, working part timeall while living away from home using roommates you may not have picked on your own.

Utilize your slightly-less-stressful high school decades to construct decent self-care customs. What exactly does this look like?

Get 5 hours of sleep

Exercise 20 minutes Every Day

Drink sufficient (roughly half a gallon) of water Every Day

Restrict social media usage (and each of the self-doubt that comes with this ) by placing Social Networking locks that closed you out once you have exceeded a specific time limitation

Bonus Suggestion (if You've Got an iPhone): here is how to make it work for you rather than against you (among my favorite productivity posts , btw)

Spending some time with friends doing something Aside from studying or speaking about college applications

Your high school experience does not need to become a test conducted for faculty, filled just with exam prep and'remarkable' courses. Should you follow these ideas, you can completely prepare for school while still appreciating high school.

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seaside-studying · 7 years

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7 Things I Wish I Knew As a High School Freshman

Hey guys! College sophomore that graduated from an IB high school here! Today, I’m gonna be your big sister and tell you stuff about high school to help you succeed early! I’ve never had a baby sibling (or any siblings for that matter), so I’m just gonna take all of you younglings under my wing for a bit if that’s okay? ;u;

k ty. Now for the prep talk:

Although I went to an IB school, these tips can really apply to pretty much any high school, whether you took AP, early college courses, or if you didn’t even take any high-level classes.

High school can be the first tough hurdle you’ll encounter in your life (it was for me), so you’ve gotta be prepared to handle the stress and upcoming workload that you may not be used to yet.

But don’t stress too much! Your high school days are your last days of bonding with an entire class of people (unless you take classes at a small college). As much as you think you’re ready to just go off into the adult world and live on your own, you’re seriously going to miss your old friends and the life you had at your high school. Hell, it’s why we have high school reunions because we miss those times so bad, haha! But anyways, here’s a list of things I wish I knew as a high school freshman.

1. As soon as you get into high school, you need to start thinking about what you want to do for a career so you can tailor the classes you take towards that goal.

Now, you don’t have to have your entire life planned out, but you should at least be thinking about what fields interest you and what you can see yourself doing in the future.

Volunteer or get experience somewhere (or everywhere) if you don’t have a clue about what you want to do yet. Getting rl experience is the best way to help you decide whether you like the type of work you’re thinking about doing or not. It also exposes you to different experiences that you may not have known you would’ve liked!

Keep your options and your mind open! You are merely a sponge during this point in your life. Take the time while you’re young and not bombarded w/ a heavy workload yet to get in the swing of living your life independently. :)

2. Start creating studying habits that work for you so you can boost that GPA! Colleges look at your entire high school GPA, so you need to hit the ground running as soon as you begin high school.

Creating great study habits now will help you immensely in your junior and senior high school years. Don’t start slackin’ yet! You’ve got a whole 4 years ahead of you (and even then, you prob won’t catch a break in college, especially if you’re a science major lol).

Your junior and senior years will probably be your hardest years for different reasons. Junior year is the year you’ll be showcasing most in your college apps, so you’ve gotta get all your grades up before you apply to make you look like the excellent student you are. As for senior year, the first semester is when you apply for college apps, and you hear back from them at around December or March. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT succumb to “senioritis” (the disease where you magically lose all motivation to do well in your last year of high school because you think the marathon’s over after getting accepted into a college). Well sorry to burst your bubble, but it’s definitely not over. If your GPA spirals down dramatically, the colleges that accepted you can revoke their acceptance of your admission, so just stay in school everyone and make sure your GPA doesn’t drop way below your previous scores because colleges get really alarmed when they see a student’s grade trend drop rather than improve. Do yourself a huge favor and don’t get lazy, please.

To study for midterms/finals, make sure you review old notes every day for at least 2 months before the test so you’re not cramming everything a week before.

3. Make friends! Surround yourself with people that will motivate you to be successful!

High school is the chance for you to mature and meet a variety of people. Take your chances now to network and get to know people in your classes. Know that everyone there has the potential to do great things, so be nice to everyone (especially to that lonely kid that no one talks to). You’ll never know who exactly will be your next partner in whatever amazing thing you discover in life or who you could be saving by flashing a smile their way or a starting a conversation.

It’s okay if you’re not in the “popular” clique. Honestly, the best thing I ever did was have a small circle of friends who were considered “nerds.” They were the people that encouraged me to achieve more than what I thought I could achieve academically and in life generally. You become who you surround yourself with, and by surrounding myself with smart people, I too began to think about life like them. So moral of the story, try to find a group of people who will raise your potential and make you feel good about yourself.

That being said, there’s no need to try to join a group just to “fit in.” Do your best to not to fall into the wrong crowd.

And stay away from drinking or drugs! I know it’s a social activity sometimes, but those substances are definitely not going to help you out on your journey. You can be happy without them!! Don’t use them to cope with any stress or existing problems you have. I guarantee you it’ll make them worse!

4. Befriend your teachers! You’re gonna need it later!

When you apply to college, you’re going to need 1-3 letter of recommendations from your teachers for college applications, scholarships, or even recommendations for jobs/summer internships, so you seriously need to give them a great first impression day 1 and maintain it for as long as you have that teacher. That means going to class on time, asking thought-provoking questions, participating in class regularly, getting good grades on your tests/projects/reports, etc.

Your teachers are also your most trusted resources! If you ever have any questions, feel free to talk to them after class or during lunch. If your teacher is an expert in the field you want to get into for a career, interview them about their experiences and ask how you can get involved at an early age. Who knows, your teachers might actually have connections to people or companies they can hook you up with so you can get out in the field and learn first hand! Seriously take advantage of your resources.

5. Do some extracurricular activities!

Join a sport, club, volunteer organization, or anything really to give your future college application some color. Colleges LOVE well-rounded students who can juggle school on top of other time-consuming activities because it shows that you’re not only disciplined enough to manage your time wisely, but you’re also very diverse in your interests, and colleges want diverse/unique people!

If your school doesn’t have any clubs, start one! It looks really good on your college app too if you say that you “established” a club on your own and got people really involved in the activities you coordinated.

While this is not going to apply to all colleges or fields, some recommended activities that appeal to top-tier colleges are:

Doing volunteer work for a cause (charity work); Eg: National Honors Society looks great for college apps!

Joining clubs that show you’re a good public speaker/intellectual (science, debate, drama clubs, etc depending on the degree you’re interested in applying to for college). But also, don’t turn away from clubs that genuinely interest you, even if they’re hobby clubs that don’t relate to your intended college major. Do what YOU want. :)

Joining a sport (or multiple sports) for several years— shows you’re committed and a team player. Plus, colleges give tons of scholarships to sports players!

Tutoring people in difficult subjects.

Summer learning programs for your intended college major. I personally took an environmental science summer program at my dream college to “put my foot in the door.” It lets the college know that you were involved with them and were on your mind since your early high school days. They like dedication, but know that this isn’t a guaranteed way to get into your dream college.

If you can’t find anything you like, start something of your own! Whether you invent something, create your own organization or even business, colleges love seeing you take initiative into your own hands and start a large-scale project at an early age.

6. Strive to be at the top of the class!

Now it isn’t necessary to absolutely be #1 in each of your classes, but at least aim to be in the top 25% so you reap the benefits of a good letter of rec from your teachers and have access to them as resources.

At the end of each year, sometimes teachers give out awards to the best students in the class. These awards look super awesome on your college apps, so please try your best to get that gold star (but also don’t stress yourself out a ton to try to get it)!

And most of all…

7. Have fun!!!!!!

Like I said, high school will probably be one of the most memorable times of your life. Those 4 years become your essential transitional period from being a kid to a budding adult, so be responsible and make the most out of the time and people you meet at your high school. All they want is for you to succeed and do great things!

Other miscellaneous tips:

Don’t get too invested in relationships during your hs days. I know I used to be an obsessive romantic hoping that I’d find love in high school, but really, just know the time will come when you find love. Most relationships during this time aren’t serious anyway, but if they are, do your thing! Just be sure to hang out in moderation since s/o’s can be distracting and ruin your time managing habits & schedule.

Hang out and socialize with people but in moderation!

Find an effective coping mechanism when you’re upset or stressed out from school, whether that be a sport, your pet, talking to the high school counselor, going out with friends, etc. Sometimes you need a break from your hectic studying schedule, so be sure to give yourself one every now and then! You deserve it.

I know you’re going through that stage where you feel like you can’t do anything because your parents are super overprotective or w/e, but seriously don’t treat your parents like crap because they’re doing what they can for you and have been for 14 years prior. When you’re in college living in a dorm somewhere far far away from them, you’re seriously going to regret all those times you yelled or said mean things to them. Going off to college marks the end of your days living with your parents (it’s pretty sad tbh), so just remember to cherish the time you have left with your family because your parents are getting older too.

Well, I hope this was helpful! If you have any tips you want to add or any questions, feel free to contact your big sis! :) I’d love to help anyone out with their problems or questions. Life is weird and doesn’t come with an instructions manual, so the best way to learn how to navigate through it is to ask the veterans, haha.

Since I graduated from an IB school, I’m probably going to make a “how to survive IB high school” post to give my tips + tricks on how to get good grades in some high-level classes and other miscellaneous IB projects (EE, Group 4, TOK essay), etc., but only if I get a high demand for it because that post is gonna take a lot of time to write out, so send me asks or reply to this post letting me know if you guys want it.

Wishing everyone a great school year filled with awesome grades, fun times with friends, productive study sessions, and success!

~Seaside Studying (Steph) xo

Check out my other original text posts here!

#high school #study #studyspo #studyblr #college #text post #seasidestudying

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collegeessayguy · 4 years

Photo

If that sounds familiar, I want you to know: that’s not what this article is about.

There are so many things to do in high school but, in some cases, the preoccupation with using high school as a tool to get into college can make life miserable and activities unenjoyable.

SIX WAYS TO MAKE THE MOST OF HIGH SCHOOL AND STILL HAVE FUN

1. PRACTICE GOOD TIME MANAGEMENT IN HIGH SCHOOL, SINCE IT’S LIKELY TO GET HARDER IN COLLEGE.

Here’s what your calendar might look like:

Regardless of the type of calendar you use, here are a few basics of good time management:

Put tests, practices, events, meetings, appointments, project due dates, and days off into your calendar

as soon as you find out about them

--this could be as early as the first week of the semester when you get your syllabus. Once you know when something is due, decide how long it will take to do it. Work backwards and schedule time into your calendar to work on that project or study.

For example, if your science project is due on May 10th, you could allot one hour each day to work on it, May 1 - 9. Or maybe two hours every two days.

2. BALANCE YOUR STUDIES WITH LIFE

And just as importantly--it’s fun.

Make time to get out of your books and into your life.

3. GET INVOLVED WITH ON-CAMPUS (AND OFF-CAMPUS!) ORGANIZATIONS.

Explore a few of your school’s organizations--try the debate club, Ultimate Frisbee, fencing, or student government. If your school doesn’t have any organizations that light your fire, try starting your own. Maybe lots of people would want to play Quidditch if you started a team?

Here are a few other ways to connect with people in your community:

Check out greatnonprofits.org to find a non-profit near you

Use the search feature at Idealist.org for even more.

Ask your counselor! There could be something coming up next week that you don’t even know about.

Connect with a local museum--many have teen programs and docent opportunities--or check with your local animal shelter, YMCA, temple, church, or synagogue.

Maybe even go back to your middle or elementary school and see how you can help.

4. GET TO KNOW YOUR TEACHERS

Fun fact: your teachers are real, actual humans who have senses of humor, hobbies, and interests outside of getting you to turn in your homework on time. Shocking, right?

One of the easiest ways to make the most of high school is to talk to your teachers and get to know them.

These conversations will give you deeper insights into the topics you’re studying and--bonus!-- will probably (read: definitely) make it easier to get great teacher recommendations for your college applications.

5. TAKE CLASSES YOU LOVE, NOT NECESSARILY THE CLASSES YOU THINK WILL PLEASE YOUR PARENTS/GET YOU A GOOD JOB/MAKE YOU MONEY.

6. PRIORITIZE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND LEARN HOW BEST TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.

Use your slightly-less-stressful high school years to build good self-care habits. What does this look like? Well, it looks different for everyone, but these basics are a good start:

Get eight hours of sleep

Exercise 20 minutes each day

Drink enough (about half a gallon) of water per day

Limit social media use (and all the self-doubt that comes with it) by setting social media locks that shut you out after you’ve exceeded a certain time limit

Bonus Tip (if you have an iPhone): here’s how to make it work for you and not against you (one of my favorite productivity articles ever, btw)

Spending time with friends doing something other than studying or talking about college applications

6 notes · View notes

collegeessayguy · 5 years

Photo

There are so many things to do in high school but, in some cases, the preoccupation with using high school as a tool to get into college can make life miserable and activities unenjoyable.

SIX WAYS TO MAKE THE MOST OF HIGH SCHOOL AND STILL HAVE FUN

1. PRACTICE GOOD TIME MANAGEMENT IN HIGH SCHOOL, SINCE IT’S LIKELY TO GET HARDER IN COLLEGE.

One of the reasons college is more stressful than high school? You’re more independent. And because you’re more independent, life in general requires better time management. You’ll have way more obligations and your professors are not going to chase you down to remind you about that deadline next week. Not only that but your parents won’t be just a few feet away and able to bug you when you slack off. Using a calendar to track your day is an easy way to start managing your time a bit better. Some people prefer an old-school, pen-and-paper planner. Studies show that writing things down with your hand (rather than typing them onto a screen), makes you more likely to remember them. But your paper planner can’t send reminders to your phone. If you prefer tech, you can’t go wrong with good ol’ Google calendar. (It’s what I use.) iCalendar is also great, or your parents might have a Cozi Calendar membership you can take advantage of.

Here’s what your calendar might look like:

Regardless of the type of calendar you use, here are a few basics of good time management:

Put tests, practices, events, meetings, appointments, project due dates, and days off into your calendar as soon as you find out about them--this could be as early as the first week of the semester when you get your syllabus.

Once you know when something is due, decide how long it will take to do it. Work backwards and schedule time into your calendar to work on that project or study.

For example, if your science project is due on May 10th, you could allot one hour each day to work on it, May 1 - 9. Or maybe two hours every two days.

Make sure there’s space in your schedule for downtime and fun, too! If need be, block out time to see your friends or just binge that new Netflix show. That way, when someone asks you to help them study on Sunday afternoon, you can tell them you’re busy. Busy (re)watching the new season of Game of Thrones, that is.

2. BALANCE YOUR STUDIES WITH LIFE

You know that colleges favor well-rounded applicants--people who volunteer and get good grades, test well and take part in their communities. But balancing your studies and life is about more than just creating a competitive college application. Taking time away from your studies will invigorate you and activate different parts of your brain. Making art, playing soccer, or just going to a concert will recharge your mental batteries in a way that a 10-minute study break can’t. Participating in life outside of academics also boosts your creativity, increases your emotional intelligence, and helps you strengthen relationships. And just as importantly--it’s fun. Make time to get out of your books and into your life.

3. GET INVOLVED WITH ON-CAMPUS (AND OFF-CAMPUS!) ORGANIZATIONS.

High school is about more than GPAs and SATs; it’s often a place where you form lifelong friendships. And sometimes it’s easier to form those friendships when you see people outside of chemistry class. Explore a few of your school’s organizations--try the debate club, Ultimate Frisbee, fencing, or student government. If your school doesn’t have any organizations that light your fire, try starting your own. Maybe lots of people would want to play Quidditch if you started a team? If starting a school organization isn’t your style, explore the groups and organizations your community has to offer. Check out rec league sports, volunteer at the local animal shelter, or sing with your church’s choir.

Here are a few other ways to connect with people in your community:

Meetup.com: A website that allows users to create events and meetup groups in their local community around any topic you can imagine: Pick-up basketball games, book clubs, weekend, painting groups, mobile app developer meetup groups for girls. Have an interest? There’s probably a meetup for it. Don’t see it? Start your own! Your local community center: You know that building in the park with all the flyers promoting rec league sports, town hall meetings, and litter pick ups? Poke your head in and see if there’s anything on the calendar that appeals to you. It’s a great way to get to know your neighbors.

Check out greatnonprofits.org to find a non-profit near you

Use the search feature at Idealist.org for even more.

Ask your counselor! There could be something coming up next week that you don’t even know about.

Connect with a local museum--many have teen programs and docent opportunities--or check with your local animal shelter, YMCA, temple, church, or synagogue.

Maybe even go back to your middle or elementary school and see how you can help.

4. GET TO KNOW YOUR TEACHERS

Fun fact: your teachers are real, actual humans who have senses of humor, hobbies, and interests outside of getting you to turn in your homework on time. Shocking, right? One of the easiest ways to make the most of high school is to talk to your teachers and get to know them.

Stay after class and ask that question that seemed too in-depth for the rest of the class. Tell them you loved the last novel they selected and ask if they can recommend any similar books. Ask your Government teacher what she thinks of that bill that’s moving through Congress. These conversations will give you deeper insights into the topics you’re studying and—bonus!—will probably (read: definitely) make it easier to get great teacher recommendations for your college applications.

5. TAKE CLASSES YOU LOVE, NOT NECESSARILY THE CLASSES YOU THINK WILL PLEASE YOUR PARENTS/GET YOU A GOOD JOB/MAKE YOU MONEY.

6. PRIORITIZE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND LEARN HOW BEST TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.

Real talk: college can be incredibly stressful. You’re juggling a challenging course load, applying for internships, working part time--all while living far from home with roommates you might not have chosen for yourself. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, right? Use your slightly-less-stressful high school years to build good self-care habits. What does this look like? Well, it looks different for everyone, but these basics are a good start:

Get eight hours of sleep

Exercise 20 minutes each day

Drink enough (about half a gallon) of water per day

Limit social media use (and all the self-doubt that comes with it) by setting social media locks that shut you out after you’ve exceeded a certain time limit

Bonus Tip (if you have an iPhone): here’s how to make it work for you and not against you (one of my favorite productivity articles ever, btw)

Spending time with friends doing something other than studying or talking about college applications

#studyblr #high school #college #college prep #college admissions #productivity

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