New School Year's Resolutions

Lauren
Sep 5, 2018
5 min read

Does anyone remember the Staples back-to-school commercial from the 90’s? The one with the giddy parents sprinting up and down the aisles, collecting school supplies and dancing to “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year?” Well, I happen to agree with that sentiment and my kids have been enduring my off-key rendition of the song for the past few weeks as we’ve been preparing for the new school year. While I’m sure many parents share my feeling of readiness for their kids to return to focus and structure, the truth is that I’ve ALWAYS loved back-to-school time. The promise of new routines and new possibilities has always excited me and the concept of a fresh start in September seemed to make more sense than an arbitrary date in the middle of winter.

So, in the spirit of the “New Year” I’d like to propose a few resolutions for high school students to consider as they begin to fill the first few pages of those crisp new notebooks. Why not take this opportunity to do something that helps you grow into an even better version of yourself?

Freshmen:
Regardless of how well you performed in middle school, high school is a great time to develop a time management plan and create a study environment that works best for you. Which organizational tools do you prefer? How do you break up your projects into manageable steps? Where do you get your best work done? During which parts of the day do you have the most energy? The answers are different for everyone, and figuring out how YOU work best will yield better results in the long term.
Work hard and establish a strong foundation that will lead to a track record of success throughout your entire high school tenure. Remember, your cumulative GPA will include your freshman year grades, so everything counts!
Get involved and try new things. A new school environment provides countless opportunities to discover new hobbies and passions you may have never thought you’d enjoy. Plus, a new mix of people helps shake up social circles and forge new connections in the community.

Sophomores:
Stretch yourself academically. Your curriculum should be challenging but manageable.
Get to know your teachers. You’ll find some amazing mentors who can help you develop as a student and as a person, as well as help identify intellectual opportunities beyond the classroom agenda. If you are struggling, ask for help early on – don’t delay or just hope things will get better on their own.
Step up your extracurricular involvement and take on leadership roles. This doesn’t mean doing everything and being everywhere. Take stock of which activities have been most significant to you thus far, and resolve to become more involved. If you haven’t found meaningful ways to engage, seek opportunities outside of your school or community. Think beyond your little bubble!
Work towards personal independence. Is your parent still waking you up in the morning? Packing a lunch for you? Reminding you about project deadlines? If so, it’s time to start taking ownership over your schedule and your life. Begin now while the built-in, at-home support system is still there!

Juniors:
Now is the time to really excel in your classes, especially those at the AP/Honors level, as the first thing admissions officers will assess is your performance in college level coursework. And remember that “performance” extends beyond your grades – continue to develop meaningful relationships with your teachers, as your instructors this year will likely be the ones writing your recommendation letters for college.
Determine how you’d like to make your impact on your school or community. What do you want to be “known for?” What steps will you need to take to get there? Remember, it’s not about a laundry list of activities or a collection of leadership titles. Rather, think about the accomplishments you’d like to achieve and the impact you will make in the areas in which you are most involved.
Make a testing plan. One of the reasons junior year can be stressful is that on top of a challenging school curriculum, it is also a year packed with standardized testing. All of the options (PSAT, SAT, ACT, SAT Subject Tests, AP’s) can be overwhelming, but the good news is that many of the exams are offered several times throughout the year (including summer) so you can really customize a plan that works best for you. In addition, there are now many excellent test-prep resources online and on-demand, so you can optimize for your own learning preferences and schedule.
Begin the college exploration process. While there’s no need to spend every vacation day this year on campus tours, it pays to start thinking broadly about colleges early so you establish a baseline of your preferences heading into senior year. Researching online and visiting a handful of campuses will help you quickly distill the characteristics that are most important to you. Discovering some exciting college options can also provide motivation to push through the academic challenges you may face this year!

Seniors:
Assess your high school career to date. What has worked well? What challenges have you faced? What have you most enjoyed? Which experiences or environments have helped you grow and thrive? An honest evaluation of the past three years will provide you with useful information about your future preferences and needs. (It will also help spark ideas for your application essays!)
Make a detailed college application plan. Most early applications are due November 1st, and regular applications on January 1st. That may seem like a long time away, but the flurry of the fall semester, followed quickly by the holiday season, will have these dates creeping up before you know it. Applications are not something you want to rush and submit in the final hour. Planning for all of the separate components and deadlines takes careful thought and discipline.
Continue to excel in classes. Senioritis can spoil an otherwise stellar academic record. Most, if not all, of the colleges you apply to will request your first semester senior grades, and it is in your best interest that you maintain (or improve!) your performance levels, even if you are taking your most challenging courses to date. After all, this year will be the most reflective of your ability to perform in college level classes.
Enjoy your senior year. It is a special time for you, your family, and your friends. Like it or not, the year will fly by and next year will be one of exciting change. Take time to savor the moments that will become some of the most memorable of your high school career.