It’s a weird transition from 6th grade to 7th grade. You and your friends are split up into different classes and you’re forced to make new friends. You’ll have 8 separate classes and will have to remember the materials for the class (including homework), where the class is, and what day the class is. And choosing where to sit at lunch is a whole new challenge. But it doesn’t have to be that bad, though. Here are a couple tips to help you prepare for 7th grade and the middle school experience.
TIP #1 – COLOR CODE MATERIALS
You will have a lot of materials and notebooks for all of your classes. Color coding your folders and your notebook is an efficient way of labeling them so you can grab them quickly while packing for the day or getting them out for class.
TIP #2 – KEEP YOUR BACKPACK LIGHT
With 7 subjects and a computer, your backpack can get very heavy very quickly. LJMS also doesn’t have any lockers, so you can’t drop off your stuff and go. The best thing to do is to bring the subjects for that day, your computer, charger, headphones, deodorant + gym clothes (if it’s that day), and a couple other necessities. I recommend bringing a hairbrush/comb, tissues, an umbrella (if it’s raining), and feminine sanitary products.
TIP #3 – GET TO KNOW THE SCHOOL
It’s good to know the school before you go there. Open House for the school is a perfect opportunity to figure out where you’ll go for classes and the best to get there. The order of your classes will go like this –
ODD DAYS –
1st Period
3rd Period
4th Period
5th Period
7th Period
EVEN DAYS –
2nd Period
3rd Period
4th Period
6th Period
8th Period
The best way to learn your classes is to start at the front of the building and go through the list and find the best ways to travel during Open House. It’s also useful to get to know the building in general because some days have things like testing and the schedule will change. Therefore, you’ll have to find new ways to get to your classes.
TIP #4 – DON’T SCROLL BEFORE YOU SLEEP
In middle school, you’ll have to wake up really early to get to class on time. To avoid embarrassingly falling asleep in class, make sure you sleep as well as possible. A way to do that is not to scroll before you sleep. Scrolling tends to get you stuck in a cycle of “just one more video” and takes away from your sleep. By not scrolling, you increase your chances of a good night’s sleep.
TIP #5 – PREPARE THE NIGHT BEFORE
Before you go to bed each night, a good habit to get into is to prepare for next day. This includes stuff like switching out your materials in your backpack, setting out clothes for the next day, setting your alarm, and putting out any other stuff you need to get ready for the day. That way, when you wake up, it’s easier to get ready for the day.
TIP #6 – THE 5 MINUTE RULE
You’re going to have a lot of homework when you’re in middle school. The homework itself tends to be fairly simple but getting it done can be hard. A good way to get into the habit of doing your homework is to follow the 5 Minute Rule. It’s a very simple concept. If the homework takes 5 minutes, then you do it right then. If it takes longer than 5 minutes, then you do 5 minutes of it, take a 5 minute break, and then do another 5 minutes. Repeat this until the homework is done.
TIP #7 – HAVE A PLANNER
With 7 classes, middle school can become very overwhelming very fast. A good way to manage all your subjects and due dates is with a planner. You can write down when homework is due, when to study, when tests are, and, if you attend after school, when you’re staying after. The planner should be portable and easy to pull out of your backpack for whenever a teacher announces something.
All in all, middle school can be a drastic change. But there are things that you can do to make it easier. Even just completing your homework on time already makes life easier. Not having to stress in the morning makes life easier. Keep these in mind when heading to 7th grade to make life easier.
TAKE ACTION –
Go to Open House and keep the tips in mind while back-to-school shopping
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