For a lot of students at State High (and their parents), grades are very important. For me, I aim for grades in the 90s, and for some students with higher expectations, an A+ is the only acceptable grade. Sometimes these grades are hard to get. With the marking period wrapping up and our final grades very close we are reminded of this fact. As we chase down teachers to put in grades and scramble to finish assignments, our grades that hover between an A- and B+ hang in the balance.  So how do we get these good grades, and end the marking period strong? I might not always get perfect grades but I have learned a few things that definitely help them and relieve some of the stress.

Something very important is to study for tests and study right.  Whether you cram all the information of months worth of testing material into your brain 5 minutes before the test or have hour-long sessions in the upcoming nights to the test, most of us have studied in one form or another. Since tests contribute a lot to the grades we get, how we prepare for them is key. For me, I prefer to study with flashcards and don’t cram all at once. I try to start at least two days before the test if I can. Personally just staring at my notes isn’t very helpful and I feel like I’m not learning or remembering any information. It’s helpful to have someone quiz you or to rewrite questions, creating ones that might be on the test. Something helpful is to find a “study buddy” in your class to help you prepare. That way you can also make sure that you’re on the same page, and make sure you’re not missing any big concepts from your test. Again, always go to your teacher in you are confused, that’s what they’re here for. Try not to wait until 5 minutes before the test, as that would not be beneficial.

  The second tip for success would be to not procrastinate. Finish as many assignments as you can so that you are not caught in the mayhem of dealing with a bunch of assignments for each class because for some reason teachers don’t get that that class isn’t the only one. This also relieves some of the stress that goes with being a high school student. Although this is somewhat unavoidable at times, due to many other assignments the sooner you can get to something the better.  Sophomore Lauren Lieb agrees with this saying, “Something that helps me get good grades is planning my homework schedule. Then I know I am likely to get everything done and am less likely to procrastinate.”

    Another tip would be to communicate with your teachers before the last minute. This goes for all times of the year. It is always better to communicate with teachers than to be confused about something and have grades suffer as a result. In my experience, most teachers are happy to answer your questions if you are confused and would prefer this to someone being unsure of something and then doing it totally wrong.

In general, school is stressful but with these study habits and tips, it might make things go a little smoother.