It’s hard to believe it, students across Houston are breaking out new backpacks and supplies and returning to school in the next couple of days. From freshmen entering the doors of high school for the first time to seniors relishing the beginning of the final countdown, the new academic year offers up wonderful opportunities for fresh starts. For Freshman, here’s a cute video to help ease some of your stress about starting high school.
- Focus on your own personal definition of success. There is so much more to high school than grades and GPA, and those four years are a wonderful opportunity to start to get to know what really brings you joy. Along the way, it can be so tempting to look around and compare yourself to the “math geniuses” or “soccer champions” and perhaps find yourself lacking; but the truth of the matter is the only comparison worth making is the one comparing yourself to you!
- Practice resilience. I’m going to let you in on a big secret so many people have totally exhausted themselves trying to keep up…none of us are perfect! We are all human, we all make mistakes, and the hardest moments are those that push us out of our comfort zones and create times when we may make some mistakes! These are also the times that help us grow exponentially in our knowledge of ourselves and our strengths.
- Let your values light the way. What’s important to you? What do you want your actions to communicate to those around you? Your values are the closest thing you will probably ever get to a map and compass for all the twists and turns of life.
- Focus on your successes and let them guide you as you tackle your challenges. Each new experience offers you an opportunity to add new tools to your toolbox. Often, the tools you used to find success in one class or area of life can also translate to other areas of your life.
- Communication is key not only in your relationships with your teachers at school, but also in your relationships with friends and family members outside of school. Remember one of the only ways those around you can know you need help is if you ask them for it. It can take a lot of courage to ask for a different explanation on an English passage or word problem, but that can make all the difference in your understanding and teachers are almost always impressed with students who are willing to go the extra mile to learn.