10 Tips on how to survive high school

It would appear that nothing short of superpowers could help us get through the turmoil that is teenage-hood, but alas we do not have that luxury. For those of you who simply wish to get by unscathed and in more or less one piece, read on as we share with you the top 10 tips for surviving your high school experience.

1. Take your studies seriously

Let us get this pesky piece of advice when surviving high school out of the way first. We know the very idea of surviving high school while maintaining good grades appears to be an insurmountable task, yet it can in fact be done. Yes, you may well have to endure unduly trials and tribulations on a daily basis, with spots and the sudden onset of your raging hormones, but you still need to realise that in order for you to escape the clutches of high school you have to actually pass high school. When it comes to homework, tests and exams… study. Do your work. Prepare. Find a ‘study buddy’ (one that is not too good looking as you need to remain focused) and put in the hours as it is essentially your ticket out of the crazy universe that is high school.

2. Choose your friend group wisely

We all inherently wish to be part of the ‘popular’ group in high school, but is it really that important? Will it make that much of a difference to hang around with the ‘cool kids’? Don’t get us wrong, we are not ‘slamming’ the popular kids, we are merely pointing out that by entering into this group you will endure a lot more pressure as you will have to continuously conform to a group’s opinion and manner of doing things. Why not spend time with those who will not force you to be anything other than yourself?

3. Grow your own self-confidence

It is an extremely difficult task to find out who you are in your teenage years and we all go through various phases in order to realise this. You need to be less critical and be more kind to you. Rather than looking to others for approval, take a good look at yourself and actually see your positive attributes. True self-confidence comes from within and you deserve to feel good about yourself, even if you have to fake it a little at first.

4. Listen to your parents (occasionally)

This may sound utterly ridiculous, but that old fossil you call ‘mom’ has in fact been where you have been. She too, has been heartbroken, moody, unhappy, stressed and felt like her world is ending on a daily basis. It is rather sad that the majority of us only become ‘friends’ with our parents in our adult years, while our teenage experience is filled with outbursts of “you don’t understand!” Your parents may not know exactly what you are dealing with, but we guarantee you they will be able to advise.

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5. Learn to prioritise and make ‘me’ time

Among all the homework, extra curricular activities, tests and exams as well as the social events you have to attend, it often appears virtually impossible to get a decent night’s sleep let alone have time to relax. We have so many issues to deal with on a daily basis and as you grow older you are forced to take on more responsibilities, but you have to also make time for yourself. You need to breathe in order to cope with life and the trauma that comes with being a teenager. Grab a pen right now and underline this sentence to show your mom next time she is on your back: You need time to chill out and be a teenager.

6. Keep the end goal in mind

When you are in the middle of one of those unbearable periods in your life where you feel there is just no way to get through what you are currently suffering, take a minute. Step back and look at your problem for what it is. Whether you are facing a huge concern or a small one, such as your clothes suddenly feeling way too tight today, keep one thing in mind: You will get through this. You will come out on the other side. You may feel as if there is no solution and no reason to even get out of bed the next day, however, you need to realise that this is merely part of the right of passage that you have to experience while growing up.

7. Control those hormones (it’s possible!)

Between the ages of 12 and 18 life is not that great. Teenagers have to contend with school, spots, hair growing out all over and then not to even speak of what those horrid hormones do to our brains. Hormones seem to take over our bodies and turn us into aliens for more or less five years of torture. There are, however, ways to make this immense suffering slightly easier. Although it is the less fun option, make the choice to eat fruit each day, drink water and get enough sleep. This can greatly aid you in the fight against temper tantrums and mood swings.

8. Be kind to others

Bullying and making fun of our peers begins at a very young age and we all fall victim to it at some point. Whether our older brother is making fun of us or our friends laugh at our choice of new sneakers, which our mom promised us was cool, there is no excuse for passing this behaviour on. Smile, be patient and care about others. You never know when you may need someone to do the same for you.

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9. Don’t shy away from your teachers

Should you not feel comfortable to ask questions in class make a note of your current issue and speak to your teacher after the lesson. Keep in mind that throughout the turbulence of high school you still need to understand your work so that you may leave one day and enter into the afterlife that is adulthood.

10. What truly matters

This is perhaps the most vital piece of wisdom that I can share with you. As a teenager, we all feel that we are being continuously monitored and evaluated by our friends and peers. However, this simply is not the case. Yes, we have to consider what to wear on casual days and how we perform both academically and on the sports field. Nobody really cares whether or not you tripped while running on the hockey field or dropped all your books outside of your locker, rather than in it. The reality is that when we make the choice to live our lives as individuals we afford ourselves the freedom to enjoy our experiences and learn from them as we grow up.
Source: www.gutsytutoring.co.za