“All applications must be completed by October 15th,” said Ms. Cleminson, as the entire senior class flinched in fear. Even though that date sounds comfortably far away, the truth is that it is not. Two months is all the time I have to write to every college I want to apply to. Two months, my friend, is not enough time to reflect on my entire life. As I started doing this, I began thinking about all the things I wish I had known when high school was just beginning.
- Listen up.
One of the most frustrating parts of the college application process is the lovely test known as the SAT. Or, as I like to call it, screams and tears. Some people find it manageable. Others complain about the trick questions, clearly invented by test makers who sit around thinking of ways to confuse teenagers.
To make it more exciting, the test covers subjects you learned in freshman year, which many people have conveniently forgotten. So pay attention now. Make sure you really understand what you are learning, because I guarantee you, it will come back.
- Sleep. Kind of.
If you are one of those magical students who manages to balance time well enough to get the recommended eight hours of sleep per night, I am extremely jealous. Truly. Well done.
As for me, I have tried every possible technique to sleep at a reasonable hour and have failed miserably. However, there is one thing I know for sure: naps are golden.
During my orientation, when I was new at Graded, seniors kept repeating that phrase to me. Now I understand why. When you are overloaded with homework, exhausted from practice, and running on zero energy, a 20-minute nap can be the difference between surviving until midnight and collapsing at 8 pm. Or, more realistically, surviving until 2 am.
Disclaimer: if this does not work for you, please proceed to number three.
- Teachers are also golden.
This is the simplest advice that people forget the most. Teachers are here to help you. They are not the enemy.
I lost count of how many times teachers told me, after a bad test grade, that I should have gone to them for help. One day, I finally tried it. And you know what? It worked. Once you get used to asking for help, life becomes much easier. You avoid those last-minute study sessions where your friend is explaining something you do not understand at all, and you pretend to follow along while they perfectly recite information they probably learned by actually going to see the teacher.
The “tell me everything you know” method does not work. Give it up. Go see your teacher.
- Do the things.
Basketball. Sister school. Knowledge Bowl. That endless list of extracurriculars that are constantly advertised and constantly ignored? Do them. As this year’s STUCO president, Fabio, said: get involved.
Graded offers an incredible number of activities that challenge you, help you grow, allow you to travel, and introduce you to new people. You will thank yourself later.
Image: Graded Website
