Transitioning from middle school to high school comes with a set of challenges, but I found that the greatest one for me in 9th grade was learning the much-required skill of time management. As a Freshman, I know that I would’ve saved a lot of time and tears by having the right guidance when it came to creating a productive schedule for myself. So listen up!

Create a routine and stick to it. It’s way harder to break habits than it is to form them. At first, it’ll be quite the adjustment from 8th grade to 9th grade, but being responsible and having self-discipline is all it takes to do well. You know yourself and how you work best, facilitate the best working environment for you, whether that’s at home or in the DRC during office hours. Definitely take advantage of your free period as well. Most importantly, plan out your schedule so you don’t get overwhelmed; the more anxious you are, the more you’ll procrastinate. It’s better to spread out your work and sift through each assignment slowly than it is to start your work last minute and overburden yourself. The more work you have, the easier it is to put it off, then the next thing you know, you have a mountain of work and you don’t even know where to start. 

As a Junior who has experienced my fair share of procrastination, I know that when I get to that point it feels like I have completely sabotaged my academic career. If you get to this point, which is a possibility as we all have bad days, weeks, or even months, TALK TO YOUR TEACHERS!! They are there to help you. Using this method, your work will be of better quality and your stress levels will severely decline, improving your grades AND most importantly, your mental health. Best of luck!