Academic New Year’s Resolutions

New year, new you right? We say this every January. We’re all going to lose weight, break our bad habits, go the gym, buy less junk online, etc, etc. If you’re human, you know that keeping a New Year’s resolution is not easy. In fact, my resolution this year is to actually keep a resolution for the first time ever. Typically by February, we’ve all but forgotten January’s good intentions. I dare say keeping academic New Year’s resolutions may be even harder. Sure, it’s easy enough to make plans when you’re on break and mentally a thousand miles away from schoolwork and standardized tests. As one of the world’s great procrastinators, I know that while making plans is easy, executing them is a whole different story. So while I can’t really help you with that part, I can give you some resolutions to consider as the new you prepare for 2016:

For Freshman:
Not to be a downer, but those lazy, hazy days of middle school are officially over. In your first semester as a high school student, you’ve probably noticed an uptick in the amount of work you’ve been given and in your overall academic responsibilities. Resolve to stay on top of things. The number one pitfall to avoid is falling behind early in your high school career. You don’t want to spend the next three years trying to fix the poor GPA that set you back when you were a freshman.

For Sophomores:
This year has a tendency to sort of melt into the high school experience: a kind of in-between time. The reality, however, is that sophomore year is the perfect time to begin turning your attention toward standardized testing and even college. Instead of simply treading water, you can resolve to use your sophomore year as a time to begin thinking about, planning, and putting yourself in a good position for the ever-important coming junior year.

For Juniors:
This is THE year. If you are a junior, you can make so many resolutions. I resolve to be finished with standardized testing by the end of this school year. I resolve to have my college list completed. I resolve to polish my GPA and my academic resume in preparation for college applications. I resolve to start using my planner. I resolve to be everything I wasn’t as a freshman and a sophomore. Feel free to add your own resolutions to this list and make the most of this crucial year.

For Seniors:
It’s easy(ish): Take your last standardized tests, if necessary. Finish your college essay. Apply and get into college! Oh and, of course, the famous avoid “senior-itis.” Contentment can be dangerous. While you should be very proud of all the schools to which you’ve been accepted, you also need to keep in mind that you’ve still got to finish high school on a high note. Don’t “mail it in.”

For all students, parents and families:
Happy New Year! May 2016 be the year that I stop buying useless stuff from Amazon and that you reach all of your academic goals!

Written by Phil Lane