Here are a few tips for students that can help get them ahead in school:
• The old saying “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” is never more true than when you’re going to school. Students are more alert and perform better in class if they eat a good breakfast.
• Get enough sleep. Studies show that teens need at least 8 hours of sleep each night to feel rested. Sleep deprivation can lead students to fall asleep in class (embarrassing if you’re caught!) and can also make it hard to concentrate. It can be more productive to get the sleep you need than it is to stay up late cramming: A recent study found that students who got adequate sleep before a math test were nearly three times more likely to figure out the problem than those who stayed up all night.
• Do more at school and you’ll have less to do at home. Take advantage of those times during the school day when you’re not in class: Review notes, go to the library or computer lab, get a head-start on your homework, or research that big term paper. You’ll be thankful later while you’re at the mall or a concert and your classmates are stuck at home cramming!
• One of the best ways to make friends and learn your way around is by joining school clubs, sports teams, and activities. Even if you can’t kick a 30-yard field goal or sing a solo, getting involved in other ways — going to a school play, helping with a bake sale, or cheering on friends at a swim meet — can help you feel like a part of things.
School is a time to make friends and try new things, but it’s also a place to learn skills like organization and decision making that will come in handy for the rest of your life.
Helen Young is owner of The Tutoring Center in Flower Mound
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