The halls are filled with students hustling about, a nervous air around them. Freshmen attempt to find their rooms in these new halls, upperclassmen buzz with an excited energy, ready to graduate. In students’ arms are brand new textbooks, cell phones and schedules. Let the school year begin!

The second week of school has started, bringing the homework in and driving the summer laziness out. Teachers are beginning to teach now that the “newness” of school is at an end. Students, both freshmen and seniors, must stay on task in order to succeed this year. Here are a few tips to help them be their best.

• Do not procrastinate! Procrastinating, especially in Honors, AP, IB or other high-level classes, will bring down grades as well as causing stress. This will also increase the student’s workload, digging them a deeper hole.
• Stay organized! Last year, I was assigned a large French project. The goal of this project was to create a family tree in French while describing their personalities. During this, I was in the midst of moving, therefor, I lost track of my poster. The following day, when I supposed to turn it in, I couldn’t find it anywhere and had to create a new one. In order to prevent this, a student must always know where their schoolwork is and keep it in a nice, orderly fashion.
• Take time off! Sometimes, the most stressful thing in the world is the constant work. I have found, from personal experience, that taking occasional breaks immensely helps. It keeps the stress level down, helps rest the mind and hand as well as promoting sleep. While taking constant vacations is detrimental, the occasional break, even weekends, is beneficial.
• Review study material! Personal review time promotes memory, making the student more likely to know the material. After school, review the material given, even if it is for just five minutes.
• Eat healthy! A balanced diet improves a student’s health, mood and even their memory. A healthy meal consists of protein, fruits and vegetables, and bread. So, next time, ignore the chocolate and go for the apple.

These simple tips have helped me stay successful. As long as a student follows them, they will too.