Wave goodbye to summer snooze and dive into the fall semester, full of fresh starts and new opportunities. The start of a new school year can be challenging for many, especially with the transition from summer relaxation into frenzy fall. However, establishing a good routine and strong habits can help alleviate stress and make the school year more manageable.
Learning from your peers is helpful, as you may be inspired to adopt various habits that could simplify your life. Junior Anastasiia Demydova is taking multiple Advanced Placement (AP) classes and spending time on extracurricular activities, such as her new Slavic Club. Demydova shared the importance of establishing good habits from the beginning of the school year.
“I use this really useful app to track my time while studying; it’s called Focus. It helps me concentrate by setting a timer for both studying and my breaks. My second tip might be obvious, but I try to do each homework assignment the day it is assigned. I am really busy this year, and time management is the only thing that keeps my grades high,” Demydova said.
Alongside her classes, Demydova dedicates significant time to extracurricular activities such as her job and volunteering and finds it essential to plan her week to allocate her time effectively.
“I plan out the days when I need to be free to study for my quizzes and tests so I don’t take a shift those evenings. Usually, I do extracurriculars on weekends, which allows me time to work on my homework too. Also, I don’t have a first period, so I can study in the mornings,” Demydova said.
Her success in academics despite her busy schedule underlines the importance of planning. Demydova emphasizes organization and devoting enough time for important activities as core tenets of her life.
Furthermore, teachers can offer great insight into forming new habits. Reaching out to teachers can be a valuable resource, as they have experience and may have had students in the past who faced similar struggles.
AP Language and Composition teacher Sabreena Beneville has been teaching at Woodbridge High for over
ten years and has seen students struggle to keep up, especially when taking several AP courses, as the workload can pile up quickly.
To help students stay on track and become part of the class community, Beneville recommends participating in class, engaging in the silly community-building activities that your teachers try to implement and asking questions when you don’t understand something. By engaging in the class community, students can feel a sense of belonging and finding a support group they can rely on.
Current senior and Associated Student Body (ASB) president Matthew Chang reflected on his past habits and shared how he has evolved them to
improve his school-life balance.
“Last year, I used to come home after school and immediately take a four-hour nap. This year, I have prioritized my sleep schedule, ensuring I get those crucial eight hours,” Chang said. “[I] also use Google Calendar to balance club meetings with homework time, as well as any other commitments I may have. I’m most definitely a work in progress,” Chang said.
By reflecting on his previous habits, Chang was able to understand what worked for him and what didn’t, allowing him to form a better routine to support his busy life.
Similarly, all students could take time to reflect on their past routines and habits to understand how to best support themselves throughout their academic journey.
In a nutshell, take the new semester by storm, and make the most out of each moment. By developing new habits, you will not only balance your academic life with your personal life but can learn the essential skills needed to flourish later in life, making a long-lasting positive impact.
