By Alizabeth Meadows
Starting a new semester can be both exciting and stressful! Today, I’m going to be talking about how I stay on track, manage my time, and some tips for you on how you can manage your time and stay on track!
For this semester, what I am so excited about is finally starting high school! All you hear about throughout middle school and elementary school is high school and I’m finally here! I finally get to take Honors classes.
This semester, I to try and do clubs for the first time. I’ve never joined a club or group before, so I decided to try it! I like it so far; they’re fun, and you get to meet new kids your age (that’s hard since we’re in an online school)!
My schedule looks like:
Monday – I do Spanish and Freshmen Seminar since I have my Live Lessons on Mondays. It’s easier to stay on track this way, getting into a mindset of Spanish and Freshmen Seminar before my Live Lessons. If I have any questions regarding the classes, I can just ask during the Live Lessons.
Tuesday – I do English Honors on Tuesdays, because, as I said above, my Live Lesson is on Tuesdays at 11 A.M. English is my easiest subject, (even the Honors class) so I usually do any extra work to get ahead, or I do any missing work. (Usually, the missing work is from Algebra…)
Wednesday – Biology Honors! This class isn’t very hard for me, most of it is just review, just diving a little deeper, but there’s a LOT of work. I have labs, extra research Honors assignments… I like doing Biology on Wednesdays because it’s in the middle of the week and I have already had two days of working, so I am able to focus better and get more work done. Sometimes, I finish Biology a bit early and have extra time, so I work on either my club stuff or any missing work.
Thursday – Algebra Honors… Algebra is my struggle subject, and I spend a lot of time doing Algebra! It’s a hard subject to keep up with, especially as the semester goes on, there’s more work. I spend all extra time I possibly can doing this subject, which I highly recommend for you guys! Any subject that you struggle with or have a hard time with, spend all your free time either catching up or going ahead!
Friday – World History Honors! This one is also another easy subject for me, but there is a lot of notes! Usually, in order to not somehow bribe myself out of it, I do the notes first, then go work on my assignments.
I’m also in the Student Blog (which is where you found this…), with meetings on Wednesdays, so I usually manage to sneak in any blog posts right before or during the meetings.
Having a set schedule really helps staying on track. Of course, not every week is the same, so you have to change certain days or tasks. Also, create a to-do list! I could not remember or keep track of everything without a to-do list!! They help keep track of assignments and help you know what to do and when to finish it. You won’t get stressed or forget to do things and it’s all organized and right where you can see it. (I’m big on organizing.)
I listen to music to help limit distractions and also am in a quiet space. If there are people talking or watching T.V., I get super distracted, so it’s easier to put music in my ears and be alone. I know not everyone is the same but finding something that helps you focus is very important! Whether you focus with noise or quiet, it’s important to focus so that you can get all your work done.
ASU’s flexibility makes it very easy to change and update your schedule to where it fits your needs and wants! This makes it easier to get a schedule that works for you and that makes school easier for you. Remember, it’s not going to take a day to figure out your schedule (well, maybe it will for you-everyone’s different), and that it usually takes weeks to find a groove or system that works for you! It took the first semester of 8th grade to figure out what worked for me.
Good luck making your schedules!
