It's that time of year again! While many students do not look forward to it, parents are counting down the days until the first day of school to scrape those kids out of bed, throw them in the car and drop them off to the nearest institution better known as, school. On the other hand, there are some students who anticipate the arrival of this day because it's a joyous occasion - at least for the first couple of days; reuniting with friends, showing off the new clothes and school supplies and sharing all the summer vacation details. Whether you are the student dreading this day or the anticipating student looking forward to it; I would like to leave you with some tips to get you started on a path towards a successful school year.
1. Create Good Habits
Bad habits are easier to abandon today than tomorrow. ~Yiddish Proverb
To ensure a successful school year, try to develop good habits. It is said that it takes 21 days to form habits, so getting started on day one would be beneficial to you. Develop good study habits, participate more in class, if you have not always been punctual, then now is the time to create a new habit of showing up for school or to each class on time. You should even strive to hand in all your assignments on time; remember, these habits affect your marks.
Creating good habits at an early age will position you for a better life as an adult. The same good habits will be beneficial in other areas of your life as well, so take control and create good habits.
2. Set goals
“A dream becomes a goal when action is taken toward its achievement.” – Bo Bennett
You may be amazed by the accomplishments of great athletes and entertainers that you see on television and probably desire to have a lifestyle like theirs. But it comes with a price. Besides an attitude of determination and hard work, there is also a key principle called goal setting. We are able to admire these great people because of the goals that they set for themselves within their careers.
Goal Setting is simply having an outcome in mind and doing what is necessary to achieve it. For example, if your goal is to be an honor student this year then everything that you do during the school year must lead you toward that goal. Therefore, you will need to study more, complete all assignments, participate in class, etc.
You will need to set goals in every subject, for every week, in every month. Of course, you must ensure that your goals are realistic. Have someone help you to achieve your goals such as a teacher, parent or a peer; this will help you to stay accountable.
If you adapt and apply this principle to your life now, it will become a habit or way of life which can be applied to many other areas of your life where you expect success.
3. Choose Your Friends Wisely
"A friend is one who walks in when others walk out" -Walter Winchell
Life is about learning and growing! If you are not learning and growing then you just exist and eventually will wither away and die. What comes to mind is a plant. I remember about a year ago I noticed one of the plants in my home not looking as healthy as it should be. The leaves were folding over and beginning to change colour from a beautiful green to brown and yellow. I immediately stopped what I was doing to give it some water and relocated it to an area that had more sunlight. After a few hours, I went to check on the prognosis of the plant and found myself amazed how quickly the plant responded to the water and sunlight. The leaves were erect and green once again!
The plant continues to grow healthy with the right amount of water and sunlight along with the richness of the soil until it had to be repotted. The pot that it was in could not sustain its growth therefore it required a larger pot that could.
Water + sunlight + good soil = growth, one without the other won’t allow a plant to grow healthy. I’m not a Botanist, but I did a little research and discovered that nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium are 3 key ingredients within the soil. Nitrogen aids in the plant's growth above ground. Phosphorous enhances plant cell division. It also helps in flower and seed production and in the development of a strong root system. Potassium improves the plant's ability to fight off disease. It also facilitates the growth of strong stems.
I cannot help but to think that the same principle applies to life in general. The soil represents your environment; which involves having the right types of relationships in your life to enhance and propel you towards a successful and meaningful future. Every now and again, evaluate those relationships to ensure that they are not toxic. The last thing you need are people who suck you dry physically, emotionally, and spiritually. You may be an asset to them but for you they may have become a liability.
Everyone in your life serves a purpose in some way or another. You may have one or two close friends that you can depend on and share just about anything with, while others may be just acquaintances. Ultimately that purpose should be beneficial to you as you learn and grow together. Do you have persons in your life that water you with fresh thoughts or ideas? Do you have friends that are like a ray of sunlight even in your darkest days? Finally, do you have family, friends and acquaintances that are like the rich soil that I mentioned earlier that nurture, respect, and support you in all your endeavors?
Oprah Winfrey once said "Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down." I encourage you as the New Year approaches, to evaluate your relationships. Get rid of the ones that are toxic, and cultivate the ones that are vigorous. Just like my plant that outgrew the pot because it could not sustain its growth, the same applies to your life. Surround yourself with people that can. You owe it to yourself!
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