High school is a very unique period in life. In many ways, it is the bridge between childhood and adulthood. It’s hard to recognize it early on, but the decisions that you make and interests that you choose to pursue while in high school may forever influence the direction of your life. 

For that reason, it is important to make sure that your decisions are informed. In this article, we offer some tips to help you spend your time wisely so that you can succeed in and after high school.

Pursue extracurricular activities 

There are so many reasons to pursue extracurricular activities in high school. Not only do extracurriculars help you stay active and make friends, but they also can help you pinpoint your interests, get into a top-tier college or university, and even boost your academic scores. 

There’s nothing more rewarding than finding and pursuing something that you love, and extracurricular activities help you identify your passions and interests early on in life. So the best advice is to try every club, sport, and activity that is intriguing to you. If it turns out that it isn’t a good fit, move on to the next one. There is also a lot of value in finding out what you don’t like! 

Once you find one or two extracurricular activities that you do enjoy, stick with them. Extracurricular activities look really good on college applications. Particularly at competitive institutions, your extracurriculars are what can separate you from crowded applicant pools.

“Admission folks are looking for students who are going to come to their college and contribute beyond the classroom,” Dr. Belinda Wilkerson, an independent educational consultant and founder and owner of Steps to The Future, told TUN. “The only way for them to know what students will do beyond the classroom, or what they have the potential to do beyond the classroom, is to look at that activities list.”

And all extracurriculars are valid. According to Dr. Wilkerson, colleges and universities don’t tend to hold certain activities higher than others when making admissions decisions. More than anything, institutions want to see that applicants are passionate about their activities.

“They really want to know what it is that interests you, what you’re going to bring to campus that will help their college community,” said Dr. Wilkerson.

Set and achieve academic goals

The grades you make in high school really do matter. They play the biggest role in determining where you will be accepted to college. Of course, the weighted pressure of getting and maintaining good grades can be overwhelming. For that reason, it is important to set realistic academic goals and develop a plan to achieve them. 

• Plan ahead

“It’s nearly impossible to do well in classes without a routine, a way to balance priorities, and a system for planning ahead,” UNC Chapel Hill’s Learning Center explains in a tip sheet.

When you get your class syllabi, jot down all of the important information and dates in a planner, calendar, or notebook. Additionally, you want to note all of your important extracurricular dates to make sure there aren’t any conflicts. For example, if you have a baseball game on the same day that your mid-term paper is due, you’ll recognize that early on and make a note to finish the paper a day or two early.

• Develop a study strategy

In terms of study strategies, there is no universal approach. You need to experiment and find out what works best for you. 

Visual learners, for example, may benefit from making flashcards, while auditory learners may retain information best by listening to recordings of lectures, lessons, or classroom discussions.

And those who feel particularly anxious or weighed down by the thought of studying may benefit from using the Pomodoro study method. The method uses a timer to break down studying into intervals of 25 minutes with short breaks in between. During the breaks you can get on your phone, take a walk around the block, or make a quick bite to eat.

But, no matter your preferred method of studying, you should always make an effort to actively engage your brain, rather than just going through the motions.

If you’re creating a study guide, for example, UNC Chapel Hill’s Learning Center suggests writing down as much as you can from memory before using your notes to fill in the gaps. This will help you better understand what you do and don’t know so that you can focus your studies effectively.

And after a little while, when you think you have a decent grasp on the information, try to “become a teacher” by explaining the material to a friend or even back to yourself, UNC Chapel Hill’s Learning Center suggests. Metacognition, which is reflectively thinking about what you do and don’t know, is key to making your study efforts effective, the learning center adds.

For additional study tips, check here. 

For tips on how to study without stress and anxiety, check here. 

For tips on how to study for online classes, check TUN’s interview with Rebecca Piety, director of testing and evaluation at the University of Central Florida. 

Balance your academic life

There is a ton of academic pressure throughout high school. As if maintaining good grades in traditional classes isn’t tough enough, you may feel pressured to take lots of advanced placement (AP) and other advanced classes to keep up with your peers and stand out to college admissions committees. 

It is true, colleges and universities do like to admit students who challenge themselves by taking advanced courses. However, they don’t like to see those classes coupled with poor grades. 

“We don’t want to see a student persisting with AP courses if they’re getting Cs and C-s,” Judith Burke-Berhannan, the dean of admissions at Stony Brook University, told TUN. “If they’re consistently performing at an average or below average level, then potentially the choice of APs or the number of AP courses they’re taking needs to be considered and adjusted.”

So you should know your academic limits and know what types of classes that you can handle. Ultimately, you don’t want to spend an unhealthy amount of time stressing over a subject or class that you aren’t ready for. There is no shame in starting at a rudimentary level and working your way up. 

Start the college process early

The college search and application process is extremely exciting. But, because there are so many steps and components, it can undoubtedly also feel overwhelming. So, to minimize the stress and anxiety attached to the college process, you should start as soon as possible. 

Early on in high school, it’s a good idea to think about where you might want to go to college. This is the fun part. You get to fantasize about where you study and live for four or five years of your life. By as early as the first quarter of freshman year, begin to look into programs, locations, and schools that interest you so that you can get a sense of what qualifications you’ll need to meet to be admitted. As you move further into high school, your school list should become shorter and molded around your academic scores and interests. 

Throughout the college application process, there are tons of things to think about and decisions to make, including when to apply for college, which application to use, how to write your college essay(s), how to list your extracurricular activities, who to ask for letters of recommendation, how to prepare for college interviews, and how to pay for your education. The sooner you start thinking about all of these things, the more prepared and less stressed you will feel. 

For a full guide to the college application process, check here.

Create a healthy routine

With classes, homework, exams, extracurriculars, and applying to college, high school is a really busy time. That’s why it is so important to create a daily routine and stick with it. Routines are great for your mental health. According to Northwestern Medicine, routines can lead to better stress levels, better sleep, and better physical health as well. 

So what does a healthy routine look like? Ultimately, it means completing daily tasks around the same time each day. Find what feels right for you. Wake up at roughly the same time. Have a specific time when you sit down to do your homework and/or study. Try to fall asleep, or at least be in bed, around the same time each night. 

You don’t have to be overly strict about it. Particularly when you’re young, it can be fun to be spontaneous. For example, if all of your friends have plans to go to the park, you don’t need to turn them down just because they’re going during your allotted homework time. 

Breaking your routine is perfectly healthy every now and then, particularly when you have a good reason. But try not to make it a habit. If you break your routine too many times, it starts to no longer be a routine. 

Pick up professional experience 

You don’t have to wait until college to pick up professional experience. There are hundreds of companies and organizations that offer internships and apprenticeships for students as young as freshmen in high school. 

There are so many benefits to working an internship, apprenticeship, or even part-time job. Not only do these opportunities look great on a resume and college application, but they also help you make professional connections and better determine what career path you’d like to pursue. 

Check out what opportunities are out there by going on job search engines or by looking at the websites of companies and organizations that you’d be interested in working for. If you can’t find anything, reach out directly to the places that interest you and ask if they need any help. You may end up working for free, but it will still be well worth your time. 

Here is a list of 10 great internships to get you started with the search process. 

For more internships, check TUN’s Internship Search Engine here.

Have fun

You only get to be in high school once, and you should always make time to pursue the things that you enjoy. 

Don’t become so obsessed with the destination that you lose sight of the journey. Yes, spending all of your time with your head in the books may help you get better grades and ultimately help you get into a great college or university. But if that studying isn’t always bringing you joy, you need to make time for things that you love to do.

Fun is one of the ultimate stress relievers, according to the American Psychological Association. There is a lot of value in slowing down every now and then and trying to enjoy yourself. 

Ask for help

Particularly if you go to a big high school with many students in each of your classes, it can feel like you’re all alone. But you should know that you aren’t. 

If you’re struggling in a subject despite trying your best, let your teacher know. If they can’t help you, they will point you in the right direction. 

If you’re having trouble with the college application process, reach out to your guidance counselor or college counselor, if your school has one. If not, there are free resources online that can help you. We at TUN have dozens and dozens of college prep articles, many of which are interviews with college prep and admissions experts.

Conclusion

High school is a fun, confusing, difficult, exciting, and transformative period in your life. Ultimately, your ability to “succeed” depends on what goals you set for yourself. Although, at times, high school may feel difficult and you might want to put your head down and hit fast-forward, know that it is worth it to stay positive, live in the moment, and keep working towards your goals.