New School Year + New Positive Attitude = New, Successful You!

The beginning of a new school year can mean a lot of things to many different people, students and instructors alike. It can bring excitement and determination, or it can be a daunting day of dread that is marked square in the middle of August.

While a new school year can be nerve-racking to say the least, we should always approach the first day with zeal, motivation, and above all, a positive attitude. Check out my tips below for high school students, college students, and instructors of all kinds on how to have a successful school year this year!

High School Students

That Agenda is There For a Reason! You know that thick, small notebook that your teachers hand out to you and your classmates at the beginning of the school year? That’s an agenda, and it should be treated as your best friend. Use it to write down your homework assignments, upcoming events, games, practices, study sessions, and anything else you’ll need to remember. In order to be successful, you must stay on top of all of your homework and activities, so heed your teacher’s advice – write it down!

Don’t Procrastinate – Procrastination is tempting and sometimes hard to avoid. Do your best to avoid all procrastination, especially when it comes to tests, papers, and projects; it will definitely affect your grades! Be accustomed to getting things done early and out of the way!

Stay Healthy, Inside and Out – Your health is something to be cherished. Be sure that you eat a proper breakfast and lunch and eat, healthy, nutritious food to give you fuel throughout the day. Get enough exercise every day, and don’t go to bed late – sleep is as important as eating healthily! Most importantly – say no to drugs!

Balance Your School and Social Lives – School is incredibly important; you must do well in order to get into a good college, have a good resume, and land a good job afterward. While school should be your number one priority, don’t forget to get involved in some extracurricular activities! Sure, you can get straight A’s in all of your classes, but it won’t look as impressive when you’re not involved in anything at school. So go ahead - join band, the Spanish club, yearbook, or anything else you’d love to do!

Be Kind and Be Yourself – Try to be friends with everyone at your school, but remember to be yourself. Don’t conform to the crowds; have your own style and identity so you can leave your mark on your high school. You’ll be happier and you’ll more than likely gain respect from your peers and teachers.

College Students

Don’t Skip Class – Sure, it’s tempting to sleep in and wave off your early classes, but heed my advice – GO to your classes. You’ll learn the material so much better when you listen to your professor instead of interpreting a friend’s notes afterward. You’ll also be up-to-date with assignments, projects, quizzes, and exams.

Get Organized – College is so much different compared to high school. Your professors will more than likely not remind you of test dates and when your assignments are due, so it’s imperative that you become organized! Even a simple wall calendar, dry-erase markers, and colored sticky notes will do the trick.

Stay Well-Rounded – While college is a time to focus on your studies and your future, you should also get involved with your college or university by joining in some clubs and extracurricular activities that pique your interest! Play an intramural sport with your friends, join the marching band, or consider writing for the school paper! Good grades AND involvement in activities will look enticing on your resume to future employers!

Get Involved – Want a way to find friends, take your mind off classes, and enjoy college to the fullest? Get involved in your campus community! Check out the fraternities or sororities that interest you (and maybe align with your major), volunteer in and around the community, and lend your talents to the groups that could use it!

Make Friends – The friends you make in college will more than likely last you a lifetime, so be sure to make a lot of good friendships that are mutually supportive and nurturing. Spend time with your friends and make memories together during your time in college.

Instructors

Be Prepared – Preparation is key to a new school year! Try to take some time to organize your classroom space, resources, and materials, and do your best to create lesson plans for your classes. This organization and preparedness will help you attain a more positive attitude more easily, AND it will help alleviate a lot of undue stress.

Evaluate Last Year – Look at your plans from last year and ask yourself if they were effective or not. If not, make the changes accordingly. If your plans didn’t work out last year, don’t be discouraged. Remember, we must learn from our mistakes in order to be successful!

Don’t Complain – This goes double in front of students. Not only will you slide into a rotten mood, but you will also lower the morale of your students and others around you. Don’t fret about things, especially if you can’t change them – it will all work out for the best.

Build Positive Relationships – A positive relationship with your students and their families is crucial to good classroom management and academic success, so during the first week, take the initiative to get to know your students and what they’re interested in. Greet your students at the door every day, and try to remember their names as quickly as you can. This will help bring morale in your classroom up and may help keep it that way.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask For Help – You won’t know the answers to every dilemma, especially if you’re a new teacher. Don’t let your pride stand in your way of bettering yourself for your sake and for your students’ sake. Ask veteran teachers for their opinion on the matter, whatever it is; they can be the best resource you could possibly have!

I hope that you have a wonderful school year this year, whether you’re a teacher or student. Remember to stay positive and focus on the good, and the future is limitless!

If you would like to learn more about me, please visit www.dawnmushill.com or email me at dawn@dawnmushill.com. Make it a great day!