Tips and strategies to thriving at high school

Tamara Mafilika

High school … that often-times cruel monster that we must all defeat in order to enter into “adulthood” and officially climb onto the ladder that leads to “freedom”. Some of us simply wished to get by in one piece. But this needn’t be your experience – read on for some great tips and strategies to not only survive, but thrive during your high school years.

Samantha Grebenow, a blogger for Worksheets.com, listed the following tips:

• Face your failures – failure is essential to learn.

• Practice makes perfect – homework is the opportunity to practise, practise, practise.

• Find a mentor – find someone who is willing to develop you on your journey to resilience.

• Set goals – if you are working towards something, it means you are always moving forward.

• Accept a challenge – there is not a single individual on this planet who can avoid change. It is inevitable.

• Make an effort – a resilient learner understands that in order to achieve, effort is key.

• Problem-solving – this is a critical skill that needs to be developed and encouraged. Not a day goes by without being faced with some kind of challenge – from something as simple as opening a peanut butter jar to passing that maths exam.

• Stay positive – a positive attitude is a coping mechanism. It brings optimism into your life and eliminates stress and negativity to a large extent.

• Celebrate your success – when you reach a goal, celebrate! It will make you look forward to reaching the next one. Celebrating increases morale, confidence and self esteem – and will motivate you to strive for greater success.

One final bit of advice I can add is something I learnt only after my teenage years, and wish I had realised sooner: Be true to yourself. Look at who you are and stand up for what you feel. There is a life after high school and it is the most satisfying of feelings to have found yourself. I wish for all of you to find yourselves soon, but remember to enjoy the path that gets you there.