High school can be tough. As graduating seniors, we would know. As our last issue of STAR News, we are bringing you some of our best advice in a guide to surviving high school. Thank you for subscribing, and thank you sticking with us this year!

Love,
Kai, Laura, and Miriam

General Advice:

• Keep your friend circle close.
• Ultimately, your health is more important than finishing all your work. If it gets to 1 a.m. and you still haven’t learned that information, go to bed. It’s not worth it. Sleep is better than any class will ever be.
• Love yourself (aka don’t load your entire schedule with AP courses, keep it balanced).
• Get into good habits early on – you will keep the bad habits you create. Even if you say you won’t.
• Be social – don’t let school take over your life.
• Find a hobby (sewing, reading, painting, etc.). Sports don’t have to be the only option.
• Find your place in the school, no matter how big or small it is. It will make a big difference.
• Learn to say “no” to some commitments.
• Pre-Calculus is hard for everyone. You aren’t the first one to cry in Mr. Gibson’s office about it, and you won’t be the last.
• Take your SIS seriously. It’s a risk-free opportunity to try anything and get schoolcredit for it, so put in the work.
• Find an outlet. Everyone needs a way to deal with the daily stress faced at school and at home. Whether it be talking to your friends for hours on the phone, or perfecting tweets that perfectly encapsulate whatever you are feeling at that moment, find some way to get it all out.

Life-Saving Resources:

• iProcrastinate – a computer-based planner that ensures that you do not wait until the last minute to do your work.
• MyStudentLife – a computer-based planner that helps you to keep track of your class work and notifies you when you have an assignment due.
• Quizlet – an online flashcard system that makes it easier and more efficient to study material.
• Desmos – an online graphing calculator that has better options for math help.
• Duolingo – an app that quizzes you on language vocabulary and grammar.
• Albert.io – has assessment questions for all AP classes that mirror the College Board’s questions.
• LyricsTraining – offers a fun way to learn a different language by listening to music and writing down the lyrics that you hear.

Things To Keep You Motivated:

• Your parents are investing a lot of time and money in your education.
• This school is supposed to be challenging. If you think your performance is average, think again.
• College is coming soon! You’re almost done, so finish strong.