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We all "know" what high school is. It's a prison of intense cramming coupled with all-nighters- procrastination a notorious inmate. And yet, there are those who have never heard of stress (let alone Sparknotes). In a different category, high school is the scene for drama- ready to infect your weekend with sickening gossip and some weird feeling in your gut. But we all know those students who never seem to have any enemies. So what is high school, and what can we do to enjoy it? Well, I have listed some tips of my own experiences. They won't work for everyone, but there's always one person who finds it a treasure. And you my friend, are worth writing for.
For the student concerned with college
You probably believe you have a wonderful array of AP classes- tutoring included. Playing varsity tennis and conducting in a band isn't enough, so why not be the president of Key Club to show off leadership capabilities? The truth is guys- and I found out the hard way- the top colleges aren't interested in you because all of the above is uninteresting. Actually I lied; colleges love a man who can handle an SAT. But what separates you from all the other 30,000 grinds applying to Stanford or UCLA? The secret is, and I quote Newport again, "to do something that is easy to do, but hard to explain." Think more along the lines of spending time at a research institute tracking migration patterns of horseshoe crabs or hosting golf tournaments that donate proceeds to war veterans. These feats make you interesting and do not require loads of work. After reading thousands of essays on "overcoming challenges and joining Spanish Club", how relieved is that reader going to be when she picks up the first essay on horseshoe crabs?
For the student concerned with procrastination
Alright, this one's my weakness too. But this summer I have definitely conquered my procrastination. From what I see, a student's afternoon consists of a slurry of priorities and leisure time which constantly add stress. And when I say "slurry" I literally mean doing homework while updating your Facebook at the same time. How can you relax each day if you're finishing work at 1:00 AM? The simple fix here is in organization: always strive to finish your work early in the afternoon. (I'll pause for the groaning) Here's why guys; when you finish your work early, not only do you have a crapload of free time, but you also are relieved of all stress until the end of the night. And if you're up for the challenge, organization can cover a lot of ground. You can clean up your room, turn off your computer, file away all important papers, and even start projects the day they are given.
For the student concerned with school life
Oh yes. Even the nerdiest kid in school has a life, but the trick is to maximize your happiness level. Let me tell you first-hand: clothes, shoes, and friends do not make you happy. It's the right clothes, the right shoes, and the right friends that matter. It's easy to be comfortable around others when you are comfortable with yourself. So for heaven's sake, do not start wearing leather jackets and high-tops just because that cute girl in Chemistry thinks they're hot. This brings me to my next point: choosing friends. We're all well aware of fake friends and back-stabbers; oh help me now. Simply, we would never have this problem if we took time to discover who the right friends are. Here's my way of seeing through: if you can look the person eye-to-eye and with the utmost respect, then you have a friend indeed. Friends can pull you down, but more importantly, they can help you get back up.
Interested in learning more about the real student life? Continue here for all the academic advice and survival tips for high school and college. http://keithsakata.blogspot.com/
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