With school fast approaching, here are eight things students need to know before getting ready for the first day back.
1. Time Management. You just spent a whole summer mainly watching Netflix, eating and sleeping for 12 hours. Your time management might be a little warped by now, but school is not the time to test how long you can go playing Fortnite without stopping. School actually requires you to go to school for eight hours a day, and that comes with the ability to manage your time well. So go and spend your time wisely, because it can pay off in being able to do more for yourself in the long run.
2. Be prepared for ANYTHING, and I mean anything. In the first week of school, there could be a hurricane, a traveling circus, a surprise alien attack and goats magically raining from the sky. So, it is best to not procrastinate and wait until the last minute when your dog ate your homework.
3. Get your school supplies. No one wants to be that person on the first day of school who asks for a pencil. By the end of the year, you’ll be lucky if you find anyone remembering to wear their left sock, let alone be stocked with school supplies. But in the beginning of it all it is beneficial to actually have something to write with and supplies to show teachers you are prepared to work.
4. Work smarter, not harder. It’s no longer cool to stay up until 3 a.m. in the morning. Getting your required 7 to 8 hours of rest is the new cool. Burning yourself out studying for a test the next day has no benefit whatsoever, and is only detrimental to your health. Being an effective student is about studying every day at an easy-to-follow pace that doesn’t overload your body.
5. Know your true friends. There are so many different people at school, and it’s very important to open your doors to see what is out there. But make sure to keep your true friends close. School is a place to be happy and express yourself, but when there is a friend that prevents you from doing that, they are not a true friend. True friends have got your back and you have theirs.
6. Ask questions. It’s better to be informed than ignorant. When you are lost, have questions about homework or just need a helping hand, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Questions that can enlighten your views and educate those around you. No matter how young or old, ask teachers and other students whatever you need to improve on yourself.
7. Have a perfect soundtrack. Music is food for the soul. Having the perfect soundtrack on the first day can lighten up your day. Music makes you smile, laugh and just gives you a better state of mind.
8. Most of all, just be yourself. Sounds cliché, but it’s true. School is the place you are going to be for the rest of the year, and you don’t want to pretend to be someone else. Your friends and your teachers are there to see the real you. School is what you make of it, so do your best and have fun.
(Chika Ojukwu is a member of the newspaper staff at Barbara Goleman Senior High School.)