Woohoo! Congratulations Truckee High, you’re officially halfway through the first semester! Now that you’ve had a chance to get used to our classes and the school schedule, it’s time to reflect upon your midterms and think about your goals for the second half of this semester. 

How did you do this quarter? Have you kept up with all your work? Have you been showing up to class ready to learn? If you’ve done great this semester, good job, keep up the good work! If not, that’s okay, don’t stress it. Either way, you need to set goals to help yourself stay on track throughout this upcoming quarter. How can you keep your grades up? How should you manage your time to be successful? How much “free time” should you have everyday?

Begin with your midterm reflection. Think about how you did this quarter, what did you do well? On the other hand, what did you struggle with? What was your favorite part of this past quarter, why? What was your least favorite part of this quarter, why? What could you have done differently? And lastly, has this past quarter helped you learn anything that you found interesting or inspiring? 

After reflecting on this past quarter, think about the upcoming quarter. What are some things you need to work on to be successful? What do you want to do differently? Is there anything you’re looking forward to this coming quarter, why or why not? How are you going to make sure you keep your grades up? How will you manage your time to get all your work done on time? Finally, will you partake in any extracurricular activities?

If you’re still worried about next quarter, or even if you’re just curious as to what you can do to perform well the rest of this semester, here are some skills you can use to keep up with school: 

First, time management is one of the most important skills to have in highschool, since you have multiple classes and also need time to rest and practice self-care. 

The first step in developing a time management plan is to create a schedule for yourself. It doesn’t have to be perfect and you can always change it to fit your needs. 

Next, you should teach yourself good habits, like not procrastinating and limiting distractions while you work, for example, you should put your phone on Do Not Disturb or put it on silent. 

You should also create a designated workspace for yourself where you are comfortable and where there are minimal distractions, somewhere like the library or your room at home. Lastly, take breaks! It’s good to get away from work to focus on yourself and your wellbeing. 

Another important skill that will be useful throughout your entire life is setting goals. In order to stay motivated and disciplined you need to set goals for yourself. 

You should set both long term goals and short term goals. Whether those goals apply to your personal life or professional life, setting goals keeps you more focused and determined and teaches you self discipline, a very important life skill as well. 

Additionally, reaching your goals always makes you feel accomplished and helps you want to set more goals for yourself. 

However, although setting big goals for yourself can be exciting, it’s important to make them specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (otherwise known as SMART goals). Ultimately, rewarding yourself for achieving your goals is a good way to keep yourself motivated and it also helps you want to maintain the healthy habit of setting goals. 

Other key skills you should use are teamwork and collaboration. Remember, you don’t have to get through high school all alone! It’s important to have friends and relationships with your teachers and peers. 

The more connections you have, the easier it will be to get through highschool, and even life in general. Having people to get support from and study with is important for your school performance and it also enhances your social skills. 

On top of that, it builds your active listening and effective communication abilities. Don’t forget that working in a team is often more productive and efficient than working alone. 

Finally, the last important skill you may want to have is good working habits. Knowing how to take good notes, setting time aside to study, and completing all your work is essential for success in high school. 

Having these good working habits can really improve your grades, and in turn increase your confidence and self-esteem. They could also help you spend less time studying, leaving more time for you to do other things in your life. 

In order to have good working habits, you need to be organized and know how to manage your time. 

At first it might seem like more work and it’ll be difficult not to stray back into your old habits, but overtime these good habits will be extremely beneficial in not only your academic life, but your professional life and personal life as well.