12 Ways To Make High School Way Better
All ideas are from current and former high school students!
1. If you need to participate in class discussion...
But you aren't sure about the material, ask questions instead of trying to answer them—it'll buy you time and you'll still be participating.
If participation is super stressful and competitive, we can help with that, too
2. Great at talking, bad at writing?
Write your essays with a voice memo, then go in and delete “like” and “um.”
If you haven't started that essay, use this template to ask for an extension.
3. If you're tired...
Ask a teacher to take a nap in their classroom during lunch.
Want to change school policy and bring back nap time? Here's how!
4. Not sure how to study?
Or have a hard time getting yourself to do homework? Get a friend to buddy with.
5. If you have lazy teachers:
Google a direct quote from a worksheet or assignment to find teaching answers online
Bonus: Find free textbooks with libgen.rs or Googling:
filetype:pdf "your textbook name"
6. Not too organized?
“If you're lazy and unorganized like me, you won't have time to properly study for everything and complete every assignment. That's when you look at the grade distribution and start with the items that are worth the most.”
Don’t pull an all-nighter, it'll be easier to get up early and continue the next day. Go to bed at 10pm and wake up at 5am. That way, you get seven hours of sleep and three hours to get your work done.
7. Work around the "No Wikipedia" rule
If you want to use Wikipedia for writing an academic essay, just cite the sources that Wikipedia cites. Not only does it reduce your workload a lot.
If Wikipedia is blocked at school try reaching it through archive.org.
8. If you get in trouble...
Talk about how badly you are getting bullied but that you can't say their names because you aren't a snitch.
If you feel you've been racially discriminated against or the punishment is unfair, here's what to say.
9. Learn to dance. As soon as you can.
10. Make your essays look longer without your teacher noticing
Move your document to Microsoft Word. Highlight everything, click on Font. Go to advanced settings. Select "expand" by about .1 or .2 points. This affects the kerning, the spacing between letters.
If assignments are boring or unfair, anonymously give your teacher feedback with this form
11. The first few days of class, sit in the front.
That's where the determined kids sit. Make genuine friends with each of them. They (more than your teacher) will get you through this course with an A.
If the social scene is a little too ~toxic~ for this, try a proven way to change school culture.
12. Get better grades with less stress and frustration.
Showing a genuine interest in getting a better grade to your teacher often results in one.
Spend time getting help outside of class and asking questions about things you don't understand. They'll find points to give you somehow when they think you're putting in effort. As a bonus, you might accidentally learn something.
If you're not sure your teachers care, here's proof.
Write in with your favorite life hacks!
Or... check out 7 more life hacks.