10 Things To Do In High School That Will Benefit You In College
College is stressful. Achieving in college is even more stressful. As a high school freshman, what you don’t know is that what you do in high school can make or break your achievement in college. For all of you, incoming high school freshman or even seniors here are ten things to do in high school that will benefit you in college.
1. Go to Classes.
Compared to college, in high school, you can’t pick and choose what classes you want to attend and what you don’t want to attend. Unless you are hiding in the bathroom or the janitors closet, then maybe you have that option. However, most of the time you must attend school. I know taking a day off and watching Netflix sounds enticing, but the more you show your face in class the more you learn and the more your teachers start to take notice. Plus, if you are going to class in high school then you will be more apt to go to class in college.
2. Get Good Grades.
Of course, this is an obvious one, but getting good grades will help to get into your dream college even easier. Lots of colleges base their acceptances off your GPA and your grades in each class, slacking off in class is a sign of a student who isn’t willing to learn. No college wants a student who is going to drop out within the first month of their first semester. Who knows maybe you can even get a college scholarship from your good grades? But how can you get good grades?
3. Make Good Study Habits.
To get those good grades, you need to make good study habits that cater to your style of learning. If you are a visual learner then you can’t be listening to an audio version of a book. You need to find which type of learner you are and then create a way of studying around that style of learning. Making good study habits in high school will follow you when you go to college and it will make studying for those college exams even easier.
4. Become Friends with Your Teachers and Faculty.
Becoming friends or even acquaintances with teachers and faculty is very important in high school. Your teachers are who grade your exams, quizzes, and papers so wouldn’t it be a nice to be on their good side. In a lot of schools, teachers also submit students’ names for awards during the school year, so by being their friend they might think of your name first when it comes to special academic awards. Plus, teachers are great when it comes to having a reference paper for applying to colleges and scholarships.
5. Get Involved.
I can never stress this enough! GET INVOLVED! It doesn’t have to be a sport, it can be a club to an academic club. Anything. Get your name out there and participate in whatever it is that you love. Getting involved allows you to meet friends and allows you to do something that doesn’t involve Cheetos and a couch. So get off your lazy butt and go do something!
6. Get Athletic and Academic Awards.
Not only does getting athletic and academic awards make you feel good, it also makes your resume look good. Colleges look for well-rounded students, so if you can get both an athletic and academic award you are well on your way to success.
7. Get a Job.
If your schedule allows it, make time to be able to work a few hours a week. You will gain more friends, make money, and be able to have experience for the real world. When you go to college, you will most likely get a part-time job. Employers look a lot at employees past jobs to deem If they are fit for the job. Getting a job in high school shows that you have experience and are willing to put the effort needed. Employers are also great references for scholarships, college applications, and job applications. Plus, you will be making a little money on the side so who is complaining.
8. Volunteer.
In my high school, we had to 40 hours of community service to graduate. This helped ourselves and our community. It allowed us to be able to get involved and help our community. Not only does the older people in your community enjoy seeing kids and students volunteering your time to help your community, colleges love seeing volunteer services on your application as well. It shows that you are selfless and care about making your community a better place. Volunteering also makes you feel good which I think is the greatest outcome.
9. Job Shadow.
You might think that you know what you want to be when you’re older, but do you really? If you want to be a doctor, have you visited a hospital and saw how hard it is? Doing a job shadow can make or break your college decision. My college I chose was based off that of the fact is was one of the very few colleges that had my major. I know it is a daunting task to decide what you want to do with the rest of your life, but going and seeing what it is like to do what you dream about doing will make it less daunting.
10. Make Friends.
Making friends in high school is very important. By making friends it allows you to take the stress off your daily life and can go have fun. It makes going to school activities even better because then you have someone you can go enjoy it with. Maybe you are stuck on a homework problem, and maybe your friends can help you solve it. Friends are always there for you and even when you go to college making friends should be one of your top priorities.
I know that high school can be as stressful as college, but in the end, it will all be worth it. So, study, have fun, and most importantly be yourself! These are the best things you can do in high school that will benefit you in college. There is no doubt in my mind.
