It’s only the second quarter, and teachers are increasing the difficulty of their classes. However, students seem to be settling easily into the school cycle, and techniques for balancing work loads have been revealed.
“I usually do the work the day I get it. Procrastination stresses me out. Breaking up my assignments into smaller chunks makes work less stressful and helps me focus. Sometimes, I forget to do it though,” freshman Terrie Tran said.
Even though students are getting used to the school’s system, balancing sports, clubs and other activities get difficult for students.
“I wish there were more hours in the day. I’m trying to do basketball, hockey, drama club, and still be able to hang out with both my family and friends,” freshman Sam Chadwick said.
“Sometimes I wish I didn’t do sports so I’d have time to study and understand things before I take a test. I have enough time to get all my homework done, but wrestling takes a lot of energy out of me,” Tran said.
Both students worry about their work quality.
“I do my homework faster now, but I sometimes worry if I’m not doing it thoroughly enough,” Chadwick said.
Senior mentor Leslie Tulloh gives tips on managing school work better.
“Studying in groups gives people the motive to discuss answers, which usually means info stays in your brain better. Also don’t procrastinate. You won’t have enough time to ask questions on your assignments. Study a little bit every night and you should be fine,” Tulloh said.
Head counselor Mrs. Julie Poe and athletic director and assistant principal Mr. Jason Feuerbach advise students to ask for help from parents, peers and teachers, to stop being lazy, work harder and have a positive attitude towards school.
“I always remind the students that come into me that freshman year in particular is a transition year. High school is way different compared to middle school. Some people have developed bad habits and it’s difficult to change those habits. Students must learn to prioritize their assignments and then they will succeed,” Poe said.
“My advice would be to tell students to attend class. If you do your classwork and your homework, turn in all of your assignments on time your grades will be fine. Even if you don’t do great on a test or quiz, it’s not the end of the world as long as your classwork and homework are done,” Feuerbach said.
Mr Feuerbach and a group of staff directors created the study hall program to raise the students’ GPAs and to develop strong study habits at the beginning of their high school careers.
“Between last year and this year there was a high raise in GPA, so it’s obvious the program is working,” Mr Feuerbach said. “Just make sure to keep studying.”
by SARAH HENSCHEL
