To be a successful high school student, it takes patience and motivation. Unfortunately, there are often many things that can distract you as a teenager, making it difficult for you to achieve success. To be a successful student, you must learn to say "no" to those distracting things using a schedule. You should also lead a healthy lifestyle, and balance your academic life with social life and extracurricular activities that interest you. Even though the school years are hard and exhausting, your hard work will pay off in the end.
Step
Step 1. Take advantage of the agenda book
The book was given to you not without reason. Don't just write your homework in your diary, but also make sure you take notes of other things to remember (eg competitions, practice, study sessions, etc.). To be a successful high school student, you must have the ability to carry out all your activities properly and regularly. Take advantage of the agenda book to manage schedules and follow the plans made. In addition, also take advantage of the agenda book to set a time limit. If you spend more than an hour doing math assignments, you won't be able to complete the assignments on time and will only make things difficult for yourself. Stop doing that math assignment, set aside your math assignment book for a while, and do some other homework. Do your math assignments again and if you don't understand the assignments/materials given, explain your condition to the teacher. There's a good chance your teacher will be happy to help you and won't hold back or reduce your grades. Make sure you show effort to do the homework.
Step 2. Make sure everything is in order
Make sure you have everything you need. It's a good idea to buy a three-ring binder that comes with a small pouch/bag, binder paper, and separator paper for each subject (or one folder for each elective subject). If your teacher likes to explain the material, buy a notebook (either equipped with a ring or a thick notebook). Draw or jot down the material so you can remember it easily. Usually, the sheets of paper used in notebooks are stronger so they don't tear easily when compared to sheets of binder paper. Arrange the papers in order to make it easier for you later when studying. If your binder starts to fill up, move old papers to another binder to keep at home. This way, you don't have to carry them everywhere, but they are still there when you need to study them for UTS or UAS.
Step 3. Remember that school is “important”
You don't have to be a geek who locks himself in his room every Sunday night or reads thick books in the corner to be seen as someone who takes school seriously. In reality, school is the “important” thing. You need to go to school to make a good personal resume. In addition, you also need to go to school to be accepted at a good university and get a job that can support your life. However, even if you don't want to go to university, school still provides many benefits, both socially and intellectually. It's important that you keep having fun and take part in lots of extracurricular activities, but remember that school should always be your first priority. This means, don't take homework, exams and quizzes for granted! In addition, the extracurricular activities that you do can be the right information to build a good resume.
Step 4. Remember that school is as important as social life
Balance is key. You can be someone who always gets A's in all subjects, but if you don't include extracurricular activities on your resume that will be attached to your university application documents, it will be more difficult for you to get accepted at the university you want. In addition, the absence of other activities to be followed is not an interesting thing. Therefore, make sure you continue to complete and do well in schoolwork, but don't forget to give yourself a little freedom to join some extracurricular groups during the school years. You won't regret it!
Step 5. “Get involved” in school activities
You don't have to wear brightly colored clothes or be a cheerleader to show your involvement. What you need to do is live and know the various things in school. For example, try to find out about the latest events at school or who won the basketball game last Friday, attend school events such as dance events or shows, carry out student council plans, and so on. Keeping up to date with the latest events and politics is as important as showing activity at school. Besides being able to strengthen relationships with other people, this can also build unity in the executive body or student organization that you follow. Your involvement shows that you care to learn about the environment around you, and support all organizations in the school.
Step 6. Join a sports team
When tasks start piling up, you often forget to stay in shape. Therefore, join a sports team so you don't have to worry about your exercise schedule because team activities will certainly become your daily routine. If you plan to participate in sports for three seasons, of course that is a good thing. Just make sure that the workout schedule you follow still makes sense. However, if you're planning to take a special prep class and seem to have a lot of homework, it might be a good idea not to join your team for a sporting event. Show your best effort to remain a sports star and a class star. In this way, you will become an awesome person. You will also be a healthy and intelligent student.
Step 7. Decide what your hobby is and find an activity group that fits your hobby
Just because you're not an athlete doesn't mean that you don't have any after-school activities. If you like art, join an art club. If you like music, join an orchestra or school band. Try to join groups that interest you and make sure you stay with them for a long time. Experiences like this can be interesting when listed on a resume or university application sheet. If you are not interested in the existing clubs, ask the principal to create a new club. There is a possibility that the principal will give permission. After all, you can start a new activity club at school quickly and easily.
Step 8. Think about universities
After the second year has passed, start visiting campuses. You don't have to choose anything at this point, but such a visit can help you decide which university you want (e.g. whether you want a large or small campus, a location in an urban, suburban, or rural area, or the status of a public college or university). private sector, etc.). Try to see your counselor or homeroom frequently. He can write a letter of recommendation for you. This means, the closer he gets to know you, the better the letter you will get. He or she can also help recommend universities and find scholarships.
Step 9. Think about the average SKHUN score
This score is as important as the credit score your parents have from the bank. With a low credit score, your parents can't get a credit card or borrow money from the bank (later on, they may have a hard time buying a house, cell phone, etc.). This means, your parents' credit score is their lifeline that can open or close opportunities in life. For you, the SKHUN grade point is your lifeline. With high marks, there are many options available to you after you graduate from school. You get a lot of university-related options to choose from. Meanwhile, low values may limit these choices. There's always a chance of getting accepted into a college for anyone, but being accepted at the university of your choice will make you feel proud when you walk in front of the stage as you receive your diploma!
Step 10. Be friends with anyone
It can be very inconvenient if you keep thinking about groups of friends, who is friends with whom, who is popular with friends, and so on. The best thing you can do is make friends with anyone. Show confidence and be yourself. Get into the habit of greeting others and don't be afraid to talk to new classmates. The more comfortable you are with more different people, the more likely other people will like you. In addition, it will be easier for you to get used to the differences in life in the future.
Step 11. Don't compare yourself to others
It should be emphasized that you already have a lot of burdens and responsibilities of your own instead of thinking about trivial things like this. The high school years were years of competition with yourself. Every day, you just have to try to be a better person, and not worry about the appearance of the student in front of you turning out to be better. You also don't have to worry if any of your friends get higher grades, have a more attractive boyfriend, or anything like that. Ten years later, such things are meaningless. Try to focus on "self". Focus on what you can do to improve yourself. Most importantly, do it and be a better person!
Step 12. Don't procrastinate
Habits like this are probably the number one “curse” among high school students. This is indeed difficult to avoid and actually, it's okay if you procrastinate from time to time. However, ahead of exams and essay assignments, don't procrastinate on work or study. In the end you'll only regret it, especially later when you've been accepted into university and have to complete a pile of assignments, including reading assignments (keep in mind that reading assignments will become sort of the "norm" in college). Therefore, make it a habit to finish tasks as early as possible and do other things as soon as possible instead of waiting until the last minute. Make a plan and schedule homework assignments. Paste the schedule somewhere so you can see it and don't forget it. Don't forget to mention the deadline!
Step 13. Don't skip breakfast and lunch
This may sound silly, but you'd be surprised how many people skip breakfast or lunch. Besides being ridiculous, this is also not good for health and not cool. First, keep in mind that breakfast dishes are very appetizing (eg waffles or warm chicken porridge). If you don't have time to eat breakfast at home, bring your breakfast to enjoy on the way to school or buy breakfast from the cafeteria before the first class starts. It is important for you to immediately push the body's metabolism so that it can work properly throughout the day. Meanwhile, lunch prevents stomach rumbling in the last hours of class. In addition, a full stomach allows you to concentrate. Skipping meals will only slow down your metabolism and increase your weight, not reduce it.
Step 14. Take care of your health, both at school and outside of school
Don't be tempted by the snack traps sold at vending machines or canteens. Most of the food sold in the machine or canteen is unhealthy (or even dirty) food. Opt for soy chips or whole grain snacks if you do have to buy food from such a machine (or from a stall/canteen). You also shouldn't be tempted by vitamin drinks (vitamin water). Such drinks contain a lot of sugar. If you're a competition athlete and you're burning over 400 kilocalories, then you can indulge in sugary snacks like chewy candy or something like that.
At home, enjoy a snack to keep your stomach full after dinner. Buy healthy fruits, nuts and chips. Consumption of low-nutrient foods throughout the day is not a healthy thing. In addition, such foods will only provide "temporary" energy to do the task (about 10 pieces of work that you may have to complete in one night)
Step 15. Get enough sleep
This is easier said than done, but remember that sleep has many benefits. If every high school student got 8-9 hours of sleep a day, they could be happier people. Try to finish the task as soon as possible so you can sleep early and enough. Besides being more alert in the morning, getting enough sleep also helps improve the quality of your skin and body. Also, you can pay more attention to the class (even if it's boring) and, as a result, you can get good grades in the class. Of course, things like this are not always possible to follow, especially in the busy early years of high school. If you take three extra classes and join a sports club or team, there's a good chance you'll stay up to do your homework until 1 p.m. If this happens, you don't need to take part in club or sports team activities the next day and take advantage of the time you have to take a nap. You can't perform well for anyone when you're sleep deprived. Keep in mind that naps are beneficial. In addition, caffeine also helps you to stay focused on the task / study. However, caffeine can have side effects, and the dependence it creates will affect you both in the short and long term. If absolutely necessary, try taking a stimulant product in small/moderate doses (eg when you have an important exam).
Step 16. Remember that the only trend you have to follow is yourself
But that doesn't mean you can go to school wearing stockings on your head or anything like that. But you have to have your own style and identity so that you can show your “existence” at school in a proper way, and not follow other kids wearing trendy shoes. Show your authenticity and don't be afraid to be yourself. This may sound like a cliché, but it's important to remember. People will remember you and want to be friends with you if you are interesting and different.
Step 17. Try going out for fun on the weekends
You've had 5 tough days at school, and now is the perfect time to relax for a bit. On the weekends, if you have friends to hang out with, go somewhere fun and have fun. Even if you don't have many friends, you can spend your weekends relaxing and doing things you enjoy. Let go of your burdens and fill your energy so that when Monday comes, you are satisfied with having fun and ready to return to focus on school. However, remember that school is top priority so don't be late for fun if you have a lot of homework on the weekends.
Step 18. Never give up
For once, as clichéd as it may sound, it's important to remember. In high school, you might do stupid things or embarrass yourself, but you will try to get up, try again, and make friends with other people. Learn to laugh at yourself when you make mistakes. Don't torture yourself or feel angry if you occasionally get a C or D (hopefully you don't get an F) on a test or quiz. Tell yourself to study harder and try to get an A. If your sports team loses, tell yourself to try harder in the next practice. You can apply lessons like this later in life outside of school and other interesting aspects of life. By learning from your mistakes, you will learn valuable lessons in the long run. Keep in mind, no one is perfect in this world.
Tips
- There is a trick that can be followed if you want to get rid of the habit of procrastination. The hardest part of doing anything is getting started. Therefore, force yourself to do the task/study without thinking about it, and keep doing the task/study for (at least) 15 minutes. Eventually, you'll realize that you've trained your mind for schoolwork and can shift to that mindset (when you need to study). After that, your mind will focus on your work until you forget that 15 minutes have passed.
- Stay away from drama and gossip. There are more important things on your agenda that you need to think about.
- Remember that in general, organizational and high school life is a learning process. See yourself as progress. As you discover who you are, you will also discover methods and habits that you will follow throughout your life. Don't be afraid to go through the trial and error process, and take risks. In the end, you won't regret it.
- Learn to befriend your teacher. This will make it easier for you in the future, especially when you want to apply to a university and need a recommendation.
- Even if you're a shy person, try to make at least a few friends so you have someone to talk to and support you in difficult times. You can also join a club that matches your interests and shows a hobby that makes you shine. You will be surprised to realize that you can attract people's attention, like a magnet.
- If you're having trouble coping with homework, talk to your teacher. Feel free to ask for extra time or extra help before/after school, or during lunch and free time. Your teacher is there to help you. Besides, the worst thing your teacher can do is refuse your request for help.
- When you feel like giving up, think about the university you want to go to. Think about the best campuses in Indonesia, such as UI, UGM, ITB, and others. The image of these campuses that is imprinted in your mind will benefit you in the long run.
- Different students, different methods of managing their lives. Some teachers don't “force” their students to take a lot of notes, while others may ask students to write 3-page notes every day. In addition, there are also some students who are better able to manage their notes or assignments than the rest. Therefore, pay attention to your personal needs. If you're a very organized student, take teacher-led subjects that don't require a lot of notes (e.g. only 1 sheet per day), and are used to emptying your school binder by transferring notes to another binder at home, you might it is necessary to prepare a large binder with three rings for all subjects (one segment for each subject). This way, you don't have to carry a lot of stuff in your bag. If you are a student who is not very organized, is guided by a teacher who requires you to prepare several segments of notes for each subject (or you just like to prepare several segments in a binder), and are required to write a lot of notes every day, it's a good idea to buy a few. separate binders for each major subject (eg math, history, science, English, and Indonesian), as well as one large binder for additional classes. Meanwhile, for students who fall between the two types of students mentioned earlier, try bringing two binders to school. Prepare one binder for morning classes (before lunch break) and one binder for afternoon classes (after break), with 1 or 2 segments for each binder. The number of binder segments will depend on the number of important notes and subjects.
- Your involvement in a romantic relationship is a choice for you. Never feel compelled to make love to someone, just because your friends are already a couple. You still have plenty of time, so try to use your high school years to focus on your schoolwork and prepare to get into a good university. However, you also don't need to hesitate to date. Having a loyal lover can be one of the "antidepressants" for you!
- Even though it's not recommended, you can actually ask for permission not to go to school. However, keep in mind that this is an extreme step and cannot be done often. This kind of thing may be done by students who join three clubs, one sports team, and 3-4 special classes (especially the UN preparation class). If you feel bored or tired (especially if you start to feel sick), ask your parents for permission not to go to school. However, make sure you get permission from your parents. Also make sure there are no exams or assignments with a deadline on that day. If you use an online calendar and have tasks to do, according to the markers on the calendar, complete them in the evening so you can do other things. If not, why did you take permission to not go to school and rest? (If so, you still won't be able to rest and will have to do your homework).
- Show a good attitude to your teacher. Don't let them hate you!
Warning
- Don't mind the bullying students because they are not cool students. They may try to look cool, but they really aren't. You have other important priorities to think about in life, and being surrounded by negative people is neither good nor constructive. Try to avoid the bully as much as possible, and surround yourself with positive people, such as friends, to keep the bully away.
- Don't put too much pressure on yourself. If you put too much pressure on yourself, your grades will start to drop and things you don't want can happen.
