In Which I Give Some Advice on Doing Well in School

Image courtesy of Lily Pultizer

Tip One: Get a Planner

Honestly, I don't know where I would be without my beloved planner. It keeps track of all my information & community service hours, reminds me what tests I have and when, and lets me easily plan my extracurriculars. I use the Lily Pulitzer planners (pictured above), however, you don't need to buy a fancy planner in order to get the benefits. A simple one dollar notebook will do (just be sure to write dates on the pages!). 

Tip 2: Cram

You shouldn't be cramming every night (if you do, it's a bad habit, get rid of it). However, sometimes, cramming is necessary. If teachers are throwing multiple tests at you everyday, it's hard to study in advance for a test on Friday when you have one on Tuesday you need to study for. It's better to try and learn the material for Tuesday's test as best you can, and then move onto studying for Friday's test. 

Tip 3: Read, Read, Read

Image courtesy of Solidarity Rising Book Drive

I love, love, love, love (need I go on?) to read. It's my all time favorite hobby. However, reading isn't just a hobby, it's a learning tool. Not only will reading teach you to become a better writer, but it improves your memory and makes you smarter. Even better? You don't necessarily have to read non-fiction to get something out of the experience. Reading fiction gives you the exact same benefits. 

And if you don't know what to read, here are some of my favorites:

Outliers by Malcom Gladwell (just started this- great nonfiction!)

Goose Girl by Shannon Hale (cute fantasy for all ages)

Cinder by Marissa Meyer (my favorite sci-fi)

Legend by Marie Lu ( good for boys & girls)

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Anne Barrows and Mary Ann Schaffer (WWII book, good for adults and teens) 

These Broken Stars by Amy Kaufman and Megan Spooner (advertised as "Titanic in space") 

Tip 4: Ask Questions

Fine, maybe I ask a little too many questions, but I find it helps me learn. By having the teacher go in depth about concepts I don't understand, I'm able to better fully understand the material, and do better on the test. 

Tip 5: The Internet is Your Bestie

Image courtesy of CGP Grey

When I don't understand a concept and don't have time to go and talk to my teacher about it, I use Google as my teacher. YouTube especially has some great videos that explain most concepts for high school math, science, and history. My favorite channels are CGP Grey and Crash Course- I find they explain concepts better than most teachers! 

I hope you enjoyed these tips! I find them to be very helpful; however, don't feel the need to follow all of them. Find what works for you and stick with it. 

Find more tips here.