Sarah’s Suggestions

I do Mock Trial, fencing and other outside of school extra-curriculars, which usually require two hours of practice each day. I’m struggling to manage all of those activities and homework because I get home at 7 p.m. and then eat dinner and spend time with my family. I usually don’t get my homework started until 9 p.m. Do you have any tips?
Sincerely, Overwhelmed
Dear Overwhelmed,
Try to use as much of your free time at school that you can. When you have a free period, go to work in the library instead of sitting in the lounge. If you are really overwhelmed at home, tell your parents that you have to skip out on family time that day. Say that you will make it up to them on a day when you do not have as much work. When doing your homework, get rid of all distractions. Turn off your phone or take it out of the room, and focus on your work. Make sure you are as productive as possible, and that will decrease the amount of time it takes to do your homework.
What techniques or methods would you suggest using to improve my grades?
Sincerely, Struggling
Dear Struggling,
First, you have to make sure that you complete all of your assignments and turn them in on time. Always do homework the day it’s assigned, even if you have an X the next day. That way, you will not waste time you could spend studying trying to finish homework from the day before. Another simple way to improve your grades is to participate in class. Participation provides a good interactive learning experience that will help you retain the information better. Finally, develop a routine for studying that works for you. For example, looking over your notes in the evening that you took in class that day will remind you of the information you learned, and it will make you realize what you know and don’t know. You can also have an ongoing study guide or flashcard set that you add to every time you learn new information, and when you are getting close to the test, the flashcards will be an invaluable resource.
I made a friend early on in the year, and everyone was telling me bad things about her, but I didn’t believe them. However she is now being rude and annoying, and not just to me, but to other people. I don’t want to hurt her feelings, but I also don’t want to have to deal with her anymore. What should I do?
Sincerely, Conflicted
Dear Conflicted,
There are many ways to deal with this problem. One possibility is to give her a chance to think about what she is doing and politely call her out. She might try to change her behavior, and you may decide that you want to be friends with her. However, if you really don’t like her, you should slowly distance yourself from her. You could try introducing her to other people and let her make new friends, or you could simply stop spending time with her and do other activities she doesn’t do. Most importantly, no matter what you do, you must feel good about yourself.