With the new semester just beginning, many people are making it a personal goal of theirs to focus on academics. Achieve a certain GPA they have always wanted. It can be challenging at times to try and juggle friends, family, and school, so here are my top five tips on how to stay successful this semester.

1. Developing an anti-stress strategy:

Managing stress and balancing life also plays an important role when trying to be successful this school year. Learning how to manage stress takes practice, and everyone handles stress differently, just as everyone copes with pressure various ways. Some play sports while reading a good book or going on walks could be an excellent distraction for others. Whatever the anti-stress strategy is, it’s essential to add one to a daily routine this semester.

2. Staying on top of work:

The easiest way to keep on top of what seems like piles of homework is to outline plans and include goals. Set both short-term and long-term goals. What appears like silly little steps are actually fundamental in helping improve chances of obtaining good results. Research shows that when someone writes their goals down, they are 42 percent more likely to accomplish them.

3. Create a comfortable, distraction-free study space:

Rummaging through a cluttered desk or overhearing family members talking can easily break someone’s focus. Find a quiet, clean area to sit in while studying or working on homework. Technology nowadays also helps if finding a calm space seems impossible. With the new generation of headphones, a new feature called noise canceling allows it to drown out any background noise. People also lose focus quickly, and an efficient way to fix this is to keep all distractions “out of sight and out of mind.” This means keeping phones out of the designated study space. 

4. Get involved with school activities:

This goes along with the anti-stress strategies for some, but a high school education should extend beyond academics. Plant has countless clubs and sports available for anyone to join. Don’t be afraid to try out a new club this year or sport, for that matter. Staying active but not too overwhelmed forces the creation of a schedule that reinforces staying on top of work throughout the year. 

5. Get enough sleep:

Yes, it sounds silly and redundant, but a good night’s sleep is critical to be successful the next day. Some days may be more challenging than others, depending on upcoming tests and schedules, but it’s essential to remember good sleep improves your brain performance, mood, and health. However, getting enough sleep isn’t only about total hours of sleep. It’s also important to get good-quality sleep regularly to feel rested and ready when the next day comes around.

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