Hello me!
So, you’ve just started 8th grade. At this point you’re probably tired of middle school and just ready for high school to start, but I encourage you to make the most of the time that you have because you will eventually look back on your 8th grade year and realize that it wasn’t so bad after all. I know you’re probably thinking you know it all and that this whole next year is going to be a breeze, but I can assure you it isn’t. The work is going to get noticeably harder and the days are gonna feel much longer. However, none of this should demotivate you. If anything, let it be a reminder that you’ve come so far already and that you’ve reached a milestone in your academic journey.
Now, the first thing I’m going to tell you before you even start the school year is that you should try to stress less. Stress is an emotion that may feel inevitable but it really doesn’t have to. My recommendation is if you ever feel stressed, do something that combats your stress, or do things that you love and are passionate about. Stress is something I felt a lot this past school year and looking back on it, there was no need to feel that way.
Following that up, as you start your high school applications process, I would like to give you some advice. Procrastination for too long can be a detriment to the quality of your work. I chose to procrastinate for too long, and some of the work I submitted to high schools wasn’t the best work I could have shown. More specifically, what troubled me the most was the lack of focus on getting my essays done. I recognize that in our life we have other things we want to pursue, whether it is making music or playing video games, but please keep academics as your main priority.
Onto other topics, eventually you will have to take a test called the HSPT (High School Placement Test). Do something you really enjoy doing the day before the test (like making music or talking to family) and make sure you get 9-10 hours of sleep before the test. Make sure you do as much test prep as possible and are properly fed before the test as well.
The reason why I am telling you this is because the day prior to me taking the test I was scared out of my mind of failure and not being able to get into my dream high school. I don’t want you to feel how I felt.
At this point in time you’re probably thinking, “Well where are you?” currently, I am at the DMSF Summer Bridge program (so yeah, I got the scholarship!!!) I learned about a method of planning called backward planning. This is mapping out the steps to achieve your goal, but backwards. For example, October 1st is when your DMSF essay will be due. Map out what you’re gonna do the day before, and then the day before that, and so on and so forth. This will be your most efficient method for planning in advance.
The reason why I am giving you all this info isn’t because I doubt in your ability to do well, it’s because this info wasn’t given to me and I still did well. So imagine what you can do with the information I’ve given you. Your greatness knows no bounds and I truly believe that you got this!
-You.
Brenden Hodges – Mount Carmel High School – DMSF Class of 2029
Photo Credit: ariya j – Adobe Stock