As we inch through August, back to school is coming upon us. I’m about to start my senior year of high school which has caused me to view this start of school a bit differently than usual. I am definitely the kind of person who gets excited about back to school. Going to Office Depot and picking out new (color-coded) notebooks, binders, and whatever else I might need has always been fun for me. I also love planning, so I very much enjoy having things to write in my planner and overall having more structured days.
But as I said, this year feels a bit different. Summer flew by with work, reading, and preparing for college and scholarship applications. In fact, I have already finished the applications for my two top colleges and applied for my first outside scholarships.
While I’ve been working on these, I’ve realized that I sometimes forget I still have a year of high school left. I know which classes I’m taking, and I have all my textbooks and school supplies just about ready to go. But I’ve been preparing for college so much that it almost feels like I’m going backward to prepare for senior year.
I don’t want to spend this year in the commonly referred to “senioritis”. I plan to enjoy this last year of high school and extracurriculars. While I prepare for my classes and get ready to be a senior, I wanted to share some ideas for preparing for and enjoying this school year, no matter what grade you’ll be in.
Planning
If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the amount of work or classes you have this year, a planner can be your best friend for staying organized. When you write down what you need to do and see it in a more concrete manner, it won’t seem so stressful.
Additionally, you’ll learn how to portion out your work. When you do a moderate amount of work each day, instead of saving it all for one day, there won’t be as much stress involved in finishing projects. And planning to do things well ahead of the due date will help you keep from procrastinating on anything and make sure that everything gets done.
Staying Organized
This goes hand-in-hand with the planning. Both will make sure you get everything done well and on time.
As I mentioned here, color-coding is one of my favorite ways to stay organized with the school year. At the start of school, I choose a color for every subject. This year, economics is green, AP Art History is blue, and Rhetoric 2 will be purple. In the second semester, when I do calculus instead of economics, that will also be green.
Once I choose the color, I use it for everything. My binders and notebooks match the colors, I use colored pens to write in my planner, and for any online classes, I make each Canvas card the color I chose for that class.
Choosing Extracurriculars
Especially as you go into later years of high school, choosing a few extracurriculars that you really enjoy is important. Extracurriculars, including a job, shouldn’t be something you do reluctantly. Choose activities that will help you focus on something other than schoolwork and refresh your mind.
This year, I have swim team with a local high school, my job as a swim lessons instructor, and Junior Classical League and Austen House with Wilson Hill (including my job as the editor of the Austen House newspaper). I will also be helping out with setting up at the church plant we attend and continuing my Bible study with friends.
I love all of these activities. Although sometimes balancing all of it can be a little stressful, I know it will make for a fun year. And with fewer classes, I hope to be able to spend more time on each activity and really enjoy it since it’s the last year I will be able to do most of it.
Making Time for God
I saved this for last definitely not because it’s the least, but because it deserves the most emphasis. When you make time for God, His influence on you will be evident in your day-to-day life. His light will shine through you, and you’ll have a more personal relationship with Him.
I like to start each day by reading my devotional. This helps me to wake up with an intentional start to my day, and focus my mind on God from the beginning.
At the end of the day, before I go to bed, I read a chapter of my Bible. Currently, on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, I read a chapter of Joshua each day and during the rest of the week, I read one chapter of Matthew for my Bible study.
After I read a chapter of the Bible, I pray. Lately, I’ve been journaling my prayers to help me stay focused and intentional. Beginning and ending my day with time with God helps me to really be meaningful in how I have a relationship with Him, and it gives me focus and joy for the rest of the day. It can really take the stress of the day and put it into perspective.
Finally, remember to take time to rest. Whether it’s all day on Sunday, or an hour or two each day a week, taking a break from the busyness of life will not only help you reconnect with God, but will enhance your performance in other areas of life.
As this school year kicks off, it’s time to start preparing. While it can seem overwhelming at first, remember to enjoy your time in whatever grade you’re in because you’ll only be in this position once. And if you’re a senior, let’s remember to make the most of our final year of high school even as we make our preparations for college.
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