A lot is happening in high school. Between classes, homework and studying, it can be hard to keep up with everything. To top it all off, with sports, the time after school can get disorganized. Keeping up with everything can become almost impossible if time isn’t handled properly. If you’ve ever struggled with keeping up with your school and sports schedule, the following tips will help you out.
- Use your planner. In the beginning of the year, the school gave every student a planner. Use it to write down upcoming tests or tournaments so that you are aware of their dates and you will be prepared for them.
- Pack your bag the night before. If you have practice tomorrow, pack your bag now. Make sure everything you need is there so that tomorrow you can have a little extra time to do other things.
- Prepare in advance. If you know you have a test on Tuesday, and you don’t have anything going on over the weekend, use your time wisely and study. If you do have a game on the weekend, you can use the car ride to brush up on some notes if possible.
- Use your study halls. If you are fortunate enough to have study halls in your schedule, use them! Don’t let the hour or more go to waste. Start your homework assignments that have already been given to you, or study for a test. As long as it is something productive, you will have less to worry about when you get home from practice.
- Don’t procrastinate. It sounds simple enough, but when the deadline approaches, fighting back procrastination can be extremely difficult. Avoid procrastination by focusing completely on what you are doing and what you are going to do.
- Finish assignments the night they are given. Again, it may sound tedious, but finish all your homework the day that it is given to you. Even if the next day you drop math class and have a study hall the first two blocks, finish the homework now so that you can use the study halls for studying.
- Limit distractions. When doing your homework, get rid of anything near you if you know it will be tempting to use it (this means your phone!). People aren’t on their phone during sports practices, so why should they be on them while doing homework? The best way to finish your homework thoroughly is to put all of your energy into it; this may even help you understand the lesson more.
- Study smart. Don’t just sit at a table and reread notes; make a study group or a quizlet. Some textbooks have chapter reviews and chapter tests at the end of each chapter; use those to accurately test your knowledge on the subject.
- Prioritize. If you know you have a really hard chemistry test the next morning and that you need to review the material, don’t go to the movies with your friends. You may have missed a great movie, but you can see it later. You can’t retake tests if you don’t like the result.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you’re struggling in a particular subject, ask the teacher for help. Asking a teacher for help, whether it be for study tips or questions about the material, will only benefit you in the long run and help your overall understanding of the class.