Do you dread the fall? Too many students do. After all, fall means no more sun, surf, unlimited TV and Internet and hanging with friends. Some students, however, are anxious for school to begin. They delight in having a routine, regular interaction with friends, fun extracurriculars and perhaps new teachers and more inviting courses than the previous year.
For juniors and seniors, however, the start of school may be particularly unsettling. Will the course load be overbearing? Will the studying be unmanageable? Will the social pressures be too distracting? More importantly, will there ever be time for college visits, interviews or the Common App?
If those challenges seem insurmountable, listen up! You can take some important steps to take charge of your year:
Develop a good relationship with your guidance counselor. Like it or not, this professional will be very important in the year ahead. After all, he or she will be writing your college recommendation. Do you want someone to write about you if he or she hardly knows you? So stop by and see your counselor. Make a point of telling him or her how you feel about your courses, what you did over the summer or where you’re thinking of applying.
Maximize your time on the road. Group college visits geographically to avoid making extra trips. If you’re applying to schools that offer onsite interviews, take full advantage of the opportunity while you’re there. (Just be sure you have written down what you find attractive about that particular college community and what you’d like to ask the interviewer.) Bring along homework or reading for long rides or overnight stays.
Be proactive with your studying. Don’t just do your homework or study the night before a quiz or a test. Instead, do practice tests at the end of your chapters. If you’re in AP courses, go online and look at previous exams to understand the scope of your course. Get used to how you’ll be tested, for example with document-based questions (DBQs).
See your teachers! Going to see a teacher can be particularly anxiety laden for many students. However, it is a crucial behavior to develop now. Here are some situations that might warrant a teacher visit: clarifying a thesis statement for an essay or research paper; asking advice about what to study before a test; or showing the teacher writing in progress. As I always tell students, the visit to a teacher can make the difference in borderline situations.
Fall is new, fresh and crisp. Breathe deeply; positive change is in the air!
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