Our High School Advice

Congrats, you've finally made it to high school! This is an amazing milestone and a great time to mature, learn, and grow. The transition to high school might seem tough, but with our tips we hope it can go smoother! As the both of us prepare to go off to college, we have reflected on our 4 years in high school and found things that we feel that we've done well and other areas that we could've worked on. The years in high school are some of the most transformative years that you'll experience and learn a lot from. 

1. Learn to manage your time

Time management is the key to success! Although procrastinating might seem tempting, it is NOT something you want to make a habit out of. Balancing schoolwork with extracurricular activities might seem like a huge workload, but it is definitely doable if you manage your time correctly.

2. Get involved early

Your first year is a great opportunity to branch out and discover your interests. Join as many clubs as you wish, then pick out the ones you really liked and try to get a leadership position the next year. Getting involved early on would allow you to find out what you're truly passionate about and also be able to meet many other people in your school who have the same interests as you. In addition, getting involved with things you're passionate about early on could help you to boost your resume and future college applications.

3. Invest in a planner

A planner is a great way to stay organized, especially when balancing school and extracurriculars. Having your tasks written out in front of you will prevent you from missing assignments/meetings. Would highly recommend! One of our favorite affordable planners is the one from Muji.

4. Learn to balance social life and school life

Know that you can prioritize school work while still having a social life! Anything is doable if you manage your time right, and definitely make sure to leave some time for yourself.

5. One bad score is not the end of the world

Don't beat yourself up if you don't do too well on one assignment. You'll have tons of other opportunities to make up for it, and you can always ask if there are any extra credit assignments as well.

6. Take digital notes 

Taking notes in your classes is always important. While we love taking them with classic pen and paper, we love taking our notes digitally. We highly recommend OneNote or GoodNotes to take your notes with. Having your notes on a digital app could allow you to carry less things around school and also be able to access your notes anywhere as long as you have a device with you. It has made our lives a lot easier and made note taking a lot more fun.

7. Keep your mental health in mind

High school isn't always easy with so much going on in your social and academic lives. Sometimes it can get very overwhelming and could take a toll on your mental health. It's important to occasionally take a step back and take some time to yourself and allow yourself to regroup and relax.