Your Experience

Know Your School:Read your student handbook, class disclosures, and school policies. Go online and look up the school calendar. Talk to people and find out what’s going on (counselors, secretaries, librarians, custodians, teachers, coaches, lunch workers, and administrators).

Be in School Every Day: When you miss school you miss notes, quizzes, tests, discussions, explanations, etc. These things are difficult to make up. If you are absent, remember, you are responsible for finding out what you missed and making it up. It’s easiest just to be there.

Know How to Get Good Grades: Be organized, use a notebook with a folder for each class, keep you locker neat. Manage your time well by scheduling the time to do homework and study and review for tests. Learn how to read a textbook, how to take notes, and use tricks to memorize important things.

Set Goals: Goals give you direction and focus both personally and academically. Set both short and long-term goals. Make them specific, measurable, and realistic so you will know how you’ll accomplish them. Also, write your goals down in a conspicuous place and refer to them often.

Get Involved: There are many activities you can participate in. Some of the benefits include:  meeting new people, learning new things, relieving stress, creating leadership opportunities, and having more fun. Find something that you love to do, and then do it.

Make Good Choices and Decisions: When you make good choices, you get the rewards. When you make poor choices, you must accept the consequences. Weigh every decision and do not let your peers make choices for you. When you have an important choice, discuss it with a parent.

Deal with Stress and Anger: Talk with those you trust when you are feeling angry or stressed. Keeping a sense of humor, exercising, reading, listening to good music, breathing deeply, or playing with a pet are all good strategies for managing stress and anger.

Get Along with Your Parents: You may not always agree with them, but your parents care deeply about you and want what’s best for you. Always show respect for them and obey them without complaining. Most of all communicate with them and let them know what you’re doing.

Understand the Social Scene: Be friendly to everyone,but choose your friends carefully. Don’t worry about being “popular” and don’t do anything just to be “cool”. Stay out of the “rumor mill” and don’t believe or spread the gossip that you hear. Be willing to forgive and “let stuff go.”

Plan and Prepare for Your Future: Junior High is a time for students to begin thinking about their career choices and educational options. It’s important to think about what you like to do, what you’re good at, and what matters to you. Then take advantage of many opportunities to learn about career and educational options and to talk with others about your future.