by: Jacob Skovo

Editor’s Note: Jacob graduated last May but left a bit of practical advice for students still at Central.

Welcome to high school. College is better but don’t worry too much.

High School can be tons of fun when you’re not burdened by bad grades. Apply some of this advice and you’ll be on the path of four years of fun and games.

Skipping

Every year kids show up and find out how easy it is to not go to class at Central but it will always have annoying consequences. Even if your parents are cool enough to call you in when you don’t feel like going to a class it is still in your best interest to go to class and hang with your friends later.

Lunch

School lunch is more expensive every year. Even if you don’t think you’ll qualify for free or reduced lunches it would be a good idea to apply. If you don’t like something, don’t bother buying that lunch the next time it’s being served.  Just plan ahead–take a look at the lunch calendar online at www.rcas.org. Bring your own lunch or plead with a parent or upperclassmen to bring you something edible.

You can also eat at Grille but the prices are way too steep to regularly eat the snack sized portion.

Be careful! Your friends will ask you to buy them something. People that you don’t know will even ask you to buy them something. Do it once and they’ll come back like stray cat. Before you know it your lunch account will be suffering from a severe funding drought. If you really can’t turn down someone then say that you’ll share with them to maintain that you’re still in charge.

Homework

Homework is the worst thing about high school. Get it done when you get it. Letting it pile up will make your life very troubling, though it can be easy to handle. On a day when you’re overwhelmed take a 5 minute break to organize everything you need to do and get yourself back on track.

Many teachers are available before and after school and during the day. If you have an open block stop by your teacher’s classroom or office and have them walk you through the steps. Most teachers stay for about an hour after school and can provide an environment for you to finish your work somewhere away from the distractions of your social and home life. Teachers will respect a student that comes in for help.

If you have an assignment that you know you won’t finish but you have a portion of it completed, hand it in when the teacher asks for it the first time. You’ll get failing grade on it but having 900 of 1000 points at the end of the semester is much better than 600 of 1000. Handing something in is always better than handing nothing in. Don’t let yourself fail when you can do something about it.

Computer Games

Most sites are blocked. It can take hours to find an unblocked game site. It might be boring but if you have free time in a computer class bust out an assignment from another class. Then when you get out of school you’ll have more time to play any game you want and you’ll know if you should check in with a teacher to clarify something you don’t understand on an assignment.

Eat a good breakfast

I find myself sitting down to my third block class with a roaring stomach and an hour and a half to go until I’m finally free to head off to grab my lunch. It is something that could have easily been avoided by eating a large enough breakfast. If you don’t have time for pancakes, eggs, and bacon try sprinkling oats over your cereal, ½ a cup of oat makes one serving of oatmeal but when you sprinkle uncooked oats over your cereal it takes up a least half the space of cooked oats and keeps you full much longer.

Not being hungry is the key in performing well on tests. Trying to remember what valence electrons are is way easier when you’re not thinking of sinking your teeth into a burger or slice of pizza. So don’t rush yourself in the morning. Wake up early enough to eat properly and refuel for the day.

-Jacob Skovo

P.S. Don’t stand with your friends and block the hallways. You’ll probably end up being hit with a water balloon.

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Photo Credit:

• Good Advice for Hard Times on Flickr by: Daniel Y. Go