Finally! A new trimester! The last one seemed to go on forever and ever, I think it was the longest one I ever experienced and probably the worst one I've done, you know grade wise. Yeah, my grades were definitely what I would have liked them to have been which is why I'm going to try different things this term in order to improve. Maybe you'll be able to find something you can use to improve on some aspect of your life. Anyways, here's the list:
- Actually pay attention to what's going on in class and have complete focus, or enough of it to do well in class. Yes, I know this one is a no brainer but last term, for a reason that I won't share, I just seemed to be distracted like constantly, it honestly didn't matter what class I was in. My attention was never really focused on whatever class I was in in that moment, half of it was there and I don't know about other people but I can't do well in a class if I'm not completely focused on it in that moment.
- Use a planner. I own one but like most people, I say that I'll use it in the beginning of the year and I do at first but then I lose the habit of actually using it. This trimester, I'll actually try, again, to use it every day. Otherwise I forget what's due on a certain day and that doesn't help my grades in any way.
- Get my homework done when it's first assigned. A lot of teachers, I would actually say most of them, give out assignments and they usually give us a few days to a few weeks to get the assignment done. So I think I'm going to try to get my homework done when it's first assigned so that way I don't have to worry about it later on and that way I don't have piles of homework building up on my desk at home because then it's depressing to look at.
- Get help from teachers. So last trimester I did pretty decent in most of my classes except two which would by Algebra 2 and A.P.E.S and even than I did better at a college level course compared to a regular high school class, not going to lie, it's kind of sad. Anyways, this trimester if I have trouble than I will definitely go ask my teachers for help. Last trimester, I rarely did but this time I will.
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It's weird and unimaginable to know that two years from now I'll be out of high school. I'll be eighteen and hopefully in college, beginning a different life then the one I have now. Setting this new life apart from all I've ever known. The other day I was talking to my friend who graduates this year and she was saying how weird it was going to be not getting up at six in the morning to get ready to go to school after she's been doing it for so long and it made me think that soon I was going to be in her position, before I knew it.
Though I'm still a junior, I can't help but think of graduation sometimes. If you really think about it, life after high school is terrifying for many reasons. First of all thee's the million dollar question: What will I do for the rest of my life? I don't know about other people, but the adults in my life love to ask that question, they believe it's never too early to plan out my life before them. They don't realize that I do think about that but I'm taking it one day at a time. I mean some people already have that all figured out and planned but I honestly don't and I'm probably not the only one. I mean, I have a general idea but that's basically it. Right now I'm thinking either journalism or neonatal nursing as a career, both are so different yet I find each one fascinating in their own ways.
Another reason life after high school is terrifying is you have no sense of direction. All your life you've known that you go to elementary, from there middle school, followed by high school. After that you decide what path you want to take, either continue your education or get a job right away. Growing up you're made to think that continuing your education is the best path but for some it's not. Some would rather become apprentices for a job and work their way up because that's what works best for them. My point is sometimes people aren't sure what's best for them and other people influence us to believe what certain things are best for us.
Where you're going to live, is another thing you could ask yourself. You're faced with the decision of either moving out of your parents house and getting your own place or continue living with your parents until you believe you're financially stable enough to afford to move out into your own place with roommates or something. That's another important thing to think about.
There's a bunch of things to think about once you move on from high school, they're all scary and at the same time exciting. It's terrifying when you move on to new things but than again the experience is always worth it in the end. Though graduation is still some time away from now, I still can't help but think about it and all the other things I've ever known.
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Studying is something everyone goes through, I personally don't like it, it's no fun at all. But than again no one probably thinks studying is fun, it's a necessity. First of all I find it hard to concentrate, not only is it my environment that is usually distracting but it's also my sense of focus or more like lack of focus. I'm a person who just can't study no matter now important a test can be, I mean I'll try but the most I ever can get accomplished is just looking over my notes once, which I would not call studying at all. This year though, I think I've gotten slightly better at attempting to study, I think it's because of new techniques I'm trying and so far they're working out. This is what I've been trying:
- I'll admit, last year I took really crappy notes. When I mean I took crappy notes I'm not talking about handwriting, my handwriting is pretty decent. What I mean is I took notes and when I looked at them later on I really didn't understand what I had meant to say, from there it all went downhill. Since I couldn't understand what I meant, that meant more work for me because I would have to refer back to the textbook and I was honestly too lazy to do that so after that I just quit studying. The point is take notes you can understand. It'd be nice to take a look back at your notes and actually understand what's going on.
- Spanish class, or any foreign language class, U.S history, Language arts, a lot of classes use new vocabulary terms you're meant to know. So when that happens it's always good to use flash cards. I used these for Spanish class in the last few years, I never really used them though but this year that's changing. This year, in U.S history, I started using them for the vocab. terms and they've been really helpful to me. Tests have become a lot more easier because I actually know what I'm talking about!
- Study guides is something most teachers give you, to be honest I don't really think they're that helpful but if you think they are than go ahead and use them. In my U.S history class my teacher doesn't hand out study guides and I'm still doing fine in that class, that's the one class I have the highest grade in right now. So study guides aren't meant for everyone but if that makes it easier for you go ahead and use them, just use them right. See, when I have to do a study guide I end up doing it just because it's worth points not because it helps me in understanding, that's the dangerous thing about study guides.
- Highlight your notes, condense your notes down to the most basic, most important things you absolutely need to know.
- Reread the chapter, this is really helpful because it jogs your memory, I usually end up doing this before the test a couple of days before.
So those are the study tips I've been using so far this year and it's been really helpful, hopefully I helped you out in some way!
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Walking through the halls is just frustrating, it can be really frustrating, right? First of all people can walk really slow because they're either naturally slow walkers, they're texters, or they really don't want to go to class. Second of all, you have people blocking your way to your locker even though they don't have a locker near-by, which makes total sense you know. And third of all it's just difficult in general to get through. Which is why I'm willing to share tips in order to get through the halls without it being super difficult.
- This one is an obvious one or should be obvious but watch where you're going! I can't tell you how annoying it'll be when people are on their phones getting in not only my way but other people's, what's so important that just can't wait? I get it if it's an important message, that's fine but if you're a person whose constantly on their phone than stop it or at least don't get in people's way! I'll admit that today I was on my phone and I stepped on a girl's sandal on the staircase of my school, yeah I definitely felt bad for it and it's not going to happen again.
- Your school must have more than one main hall or foyer, so use alternative routes. If you're school is like mine than you have your foyer than all the halls. I make sure I never have to go through the foyer because after the bell rings, that place is packed and so hard to get through. So naturally I use the back way or any other route that isn't the foyer unless it's absolutely necessary.
- Don't lose your cool, first of all I get that it's hard to walk through the halls but you really don't need to get so worked up about it. It's not and it really shouldn't ruin your day if someone steps over your new sneakers, or if you dropped all of your U.S history notes in the middle of hall. Just relax and take a deep breath.
- Don't get too violent, I understand that you may be running late to your chemistry class or whatever but you really don't need to knock people out of your way. I seriously have scratches from people's backpack brushing against my arm because they're in such a hurry, which is just sad.
Hopefully this gave you some sort of idea what people go through when walking through the halls. Maybe for some schools it's not as bad and maybe for some schools it's just as worse, I know my school isn't that bad when it comes to the halls but you can never be too careful.
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Having two study halls in a day, you would think that would be boring and you're so right, it can be. But there are times, believe it or not, that study hall can actually be useful! I know right, gasp! Trust me, I know this from personal experience. Having a study hall can always be beneficial in the long run, true you can get your study hall switched into first period or sixth period so that way you can go home like I originally wanted but some people just can't make that possible even though it so is and they try to tell me otherwise. That's besides the point though, what I'm saying is if you have a study hall you would be stupid to not actually get some work done, in my opinion.
On A days when I end up having two study halls in the day, I try to make sure I actually get some work done in there. It can be beneficial to get my work done that day so that way, after my long day I can go home and relax or spend some time with my friends which I adore doing, I mean who doesn't? It sucks that you can't be able to hang out if your excuse is, 'I have homework." Okay it's not really sad but more like depressing.
Now the only thing you have to do is actually focus on your homework or whatever else you're working on instead of falling asleep or dosing off into a daydream like state like I always find myself doing, even when I'm not in study hall sometimes that happens, it happens a lot in Algebra 2 though, I hate math with a passion that could probably be a reason why I do it so often in there. Anyways, what I would suggest in preventing your attention from going awry is keeping organized, keeping a planner, minimize those moments you pull out your phone to text (admit it, we all do it at one point if not more than once), maybe even plug in your headphones and rock out to your favorite song so that way you close yourself into your own little world and keep yourself motivated!
I don't know about everyone else but when I listen to music, I find myself a lot more centered and more focused on whatever I'm working on. Which is why I always carry around headphones and if I don't have any I ask a friend if they have some.
If music doesn't work for you than find something else to keep you focused. Just the thought of not having any homework is enough motivation for some, I know it is for me. So be wise and use that study hall period if you're stuck with it.
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Ana M. here with my first official blog post! That's right, I'm expanding my so called, "writing skills" to the blogging world! Since today is Monday, it means today is whatever random topic I feel like talking about. What I feel like talking about today is school, we all agree that we love to hate school. I mean what's not to hate! You have to wake up early, you've got school projects, Algebra homework, tests, quizzes and a bunch of other stuff! Like me, maybe you already started school and maybe some of you are dreadfully awaiting that condemning day. Well I thought it'd be nice to share some things I'm going to do to get through my junior year!
1. Create a play list- There's nothing that I love more then music! Music gets me through those rough days and especially when I'm doing homework! It helps me keep going!
2. Stay Organized- This is an obvious one but come on! Some people still don't make an effort to stay organized! I just love sitting in class and watching that one kid go through his backpack and there he is pulling paper after paper as if it were some magic trick! Stay organized, try color coding, that's what I'm trying this year and I have no reason to complain so far. Buy a planner if your school doesn't provide one or get an app that reminds you about school assignments, there's billions of apps out there!
3. Highlighters and Post it Notes- These little guys should be your best friends, I love to highlight stuff when I get reading packets in addition to the notes I take. They come in handy when you're looking for the key ideas of something.
4. Lockers- If you have a locker, use it! I hate carrying around things I really don't need at the moment. What I do is I get my stuff for my first three classes of the day, that way I don't have to keep making stops continuously. Then, after my first three classes, I put that stuff away in exchange for my stuff for the last three classes of the day. If I have any homework, I just slip that paper behind the divider tab it belongs to in my homework binder, that's right, I got a homework binder, I'm trying to be an organized student this year okay!
5. Have Fun- Okay, I know it's school we're talking about here but I feel like there's something everybody looks forward to. I always look forward to seeing the friends I haven't seen over the summer, I look forward to my favorite class which is anything language arts related. Maybe you're looking forward to meeting new people, becoming captain of the football team or cheerleading squad, joining a school club. Whatever it is you're excited about, don't let anyone ruin it for you! Have an amazing year!
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