March Student Advice

Spring is in the Air

The sun is finally peeking through the clouds and staying for more each day. If you’re anything like me, the idea of “springing forward” for Daylight Saving Time is filled with both excitement and annoyance. While we are seeing the sun for longer amounts of time, I’m also losing one hour of my coveted sleep; though spring has not completely sprung, we are on our way to green grass and blooming flowers. You're also halfway through your school year. This is a wonderful time to take a moment to check in on how you're doing. At your school, do you switch classes every nine weeks? If so, how about adding new extracurriculars at this point? Are you looking forward to your summer plans? Have you thought anything about your summer yet? Taking a minute to go through how the semester has treated you so far 一 how you felt while studying, catching up with friends, and zooming into class 一 is important for you to determine where you stand in finishing out the school year.

Looking back helps you set a positive outlook for the rest of the semester. Typically, high schoolers face class exams and standardized tests. But, looking back and noting the progress you've made so far, I can help you set your best foot forward and create helpful strategies to continue your progress without feeling overwhelmed or lost. So, as the weather gets warmer, let yourself have room to relax and have a little fun. You’ve worked hard. You've done wonderfully, and summer can be a perfect time to treat yourself. All of our 2020 problems didn't end when the calendar year changed to 2021, so give yourself that room to reflect, relax, and recharge. Often, advice for college-minded individuals centers around grades and extracurriculars, but high school is much more than those. Your high school experience should be full of memories that helped you grow as a person and show just how dynamic you are outside of your report card.

On the other hand, maybe you're thinking about how you can spend your summer being productive and preparing yourself for a college career or a career in general. This is a perfect time to look for internships, start studying for placement exams like the SAT, or spend time and energy doing something that really matters to you. Every summer doesn't have to be filled with résumé building internships; instead, you could spend your summer chasing your passions and becoming more aware of what you really want to study in college and do for your career.