The first semester is coming to an end and the long awaited Christmas break is in reach with two weeks of freedom and no school work in sight. While having a break is nice, coming back and having a strong second semester is crucial. Here are some ways to survive the second semester and to make it feel less stressful.
One of the most important ways to have a stress free semester is staying organized with all of your school work and after school activities. Getting a planner to write things down, putting reminders in your phone calendar or making a to-do list can help a lot with keeping everything in order. Even if it feels inconvenient at the moment to write it down, it will be a lot better to take a few seconds than completely forgetting the task or assignment.
For juniors and seniors, the SAT and ACT are the big tests to take when applying to colleges. Currently I’m taking an SAT prep class every week in order to prepare for the big test and it’s helping out a lot. You don’t have to physically attend an SAT/ACT prep class in person in order to be successful on the test. There are also online classes available to help you study. Studying during the break may not seem exciting at the moment, but it can really help you achieve a higher score on the test which will help you in the long run.
An important step for a stress free second semester is trying not to let yourself get burnt out from school. With all of the assignments, tests and studying, it can definitely take a toll on your mental health. Taking a little time out for yourself once a day, or at least once a week, where studying isn’t the only priority, can really help your mental health. Activities I find useful for relaxing are reading a book for 15 minutes, keeping my space clean, doing a self care routine, and not spending too much time on my phone.
Keeping a positive attitude while going through the day at school will also help your life be less stressful. Sometimes that’s not easy when dealing with drama from your friends or even your teachers, but keeping a positive attitude can really help you to focus on what’s important.
One last tip for having a less stressful second semester is to keep an everyday routine. Having a routine helps the brain follow a schedule to keep everything on track. High schoolers are known for staying up late studying and doing school work, but going to bed at a reasonable time every night will really help you to feel more alert at school and energized to get through the day. Keeping good study habits and following a schedule will help reduce any anxiety students might have. This will be less stressful on your body when you know what to expect from a day to day routine.
There are plenty of other tips to have a stress free second semester, but here are just a few to get students started. In the process of having a good and strong semester, remember to enjoy the rest of the high school experience with your friends and family. It will be over before you know it, so we might as well enjoy it.