The new year of 2024 calls for a new beginning for all, especially students. To make use of this new year, students create new year’s resolutions to bring out their full potential and become a better version of themselves.
With a busy life balancing school, extracurricular activities, time for loved ones and work, students struggle to maintain a healthy sleep schedule. With limited time on their hands, students tend to leave sleeping as a last priority; however, sleeping is necessary to be academically successful and healthy physically as well as mentally.
Natalie Teigiser (11) speaks about the importance of sleeping: “I prioritize sleeping because when I’m well-rested, I’m able to pay attention better and retain information more easily.”
As high school is known to be a stressful time for students, there should always be time for self-care. Journaling, exercising, listening to music, taking a bath and even practicing hobbies are all activities that can be done to have something to look forward to by the end of the day or week. Practicing self-care not only reduces stress, but also makes life worth living despite hardships.
A popular new year’s resolution, important for students especially, is breaking bad habits and getting into better habits. Research suggests that it is best to break a habit or form a habit at an early age because it may be beneficial for the near future. For example, a common habit is procrastination, which has become inefficient for high school students and their mental health, so a habit to get into is creating and sticking with a realistic studying routine a few days before the test or quiz.
Kat Tran (11) provides her input on procrastination: “I think procrastination is harmful to my education. In order to prevent it, I give myself a to-do list of all my assignments and make sure that I finish all my tasks a few days before their deadline.”
As the overwhelming feeling from school accumulates, the disorganization of school materials and study space also accumulates. The buildup of items on a study desk can become distracting, so cleaning up every once in a while may increase studying efficiency and even develop a more organized mindset. Cleaning up not only makes an area more breathable, but also helps people get up and get going for the day.
Maintaining strong relationships with family and friends are just as important as building new relationships with important figures, such as teachers. By building relationships with teachers, reaching out for help becomes less difficult and improves learning experiences. Thus, when the time comes, asking for a letter of recommendation will be more meaningful and genuine if a teacher is aware of their students’ accomplishments and positive character.
Growing as a person involves taking risks and stepping out of personal bubbles, so new year’s resolutions are a beneficial way to help take it step by step. Life is all about trying new experiences and this new year, 2024, has so much to offer for high school students.
