WINNING THE FIRST TERM

Wow, so much excitement and yet so much angst awaits those of you who are beginning your freshmen year in high school. The hallways look similar to middle school, the food will be the same and you know some of the students already, so why are you so nervous? Because the expectations have gone up and you wonder if you are ready.

Being a new high school freshmen is an exciting time and you have entered another phase in your life. Enjoy all of the new experiences but don't forget that this IS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT HIGH SCHOOL YEAR! Here are the reasons why:

This is when you establish your time management and study habits. One of the most important things college's say students need to learn is time management.

This is when you establish your grade point average. If you start strong with a 3.5 grade point average or higher then you can have a sub-par term in the future and it won't hurt you as much. If you start with a 2.5 g.p.a or lower you will be fighting the entire time to keep it at that level.

Most colleges make their admission decisions based on your grades at the end of your junior year so this 1st year is very important.

As you get more involved later in extra-curricular activities having a strong academic background will allow you more freedom to be involved.

I personally was one of those individuals who didn't accept this advice and I had to work twice as hard as others to improve my academic record because of my average first term.

I know there is so much going on the first semester that makes it hard to focus in on what I am suggesting. Surround yourself with like minded friends and work together to make sure your first semester is both fun and successful!