Why do we go to school? Adults always tell children and teenagers that they need to go to school to be successful in life. In contrast, many successful people never did finish high school. These contradictory aspects concerning the importance of school really discourage students to evaluate their real purposes of going to school every day.

Dear my fellow school-goers,

I am not here to tell you what school is all about because obviously it is different to everyone. I am sincerely writing this article to encourage you to deeply think about what school means to you. I am not going to pretend that school is the most exciting place to be for everyone, but I will argue that school is the location for your first steps in life. Please read on and take a few moments to reflect back on what your educational career has done for you and what you wish it had. I hope you also set some specific goals after reading this article for the rest of this semester or perhaps this year.

Unlike one of those clichés that you might have heard from your parents that without school you will end up as a failure, I will first admit that you will not necessarily be a failure if you do not do well in school. However, the importance of school must not be overlooked. School will give you so many opportunities in the future. The irony is that many do not realize this until they have either missed or achieved these opportunities when they face the real world. Until this moment, for those who unfortunately did not grasp these opportunities, it is already too late in most cases. So it is probably a good idea to realize this sooner, which is now. School gives you the education you need to obtain the occupation you might desire. It earns you respect from the people who surround people and it gives you the tools you need to achieve or perhaps advance towards your future goals. Well, your personality is a big factor too. What I mean by this is that, with the knowledge that you have learned from school, it is very probable that you will be able to apply this knowledge to complete certain tasks. In addition, school could also make your life so much more enjoyable. I am being extremely serious about this no matter how ridiculously unbelievable this might sound. When you really think about it, the knowledge that you gain from school could enhance your daily experiences. For instance, suppose you are watching television and you heard a joke that you did not understand. Now, this joke might have been purely educational and requires some background knowledge on certain fields. So if you have learned this in school, you could have understood the joke and have those few relaxing seconds of amusement. It is those little moments that could make your life so much more enjoyable, not to mention any monumental experiences. Please understand that I am not trying to say that school is the only place you could learn. Honestly, you could learn anywhere if you choose to. However, school is the most convenient and efficient place to learn. Now that I delivered my point across on the importance of school, I also want to share some of my advices that I hope you might find helpful during your educational career.

1.
Frequent Self-Motivation – it is amazing how well self-motivation works if you really understand how to use it. Nobody can motivate you better than yourself. You should discover this for yourself as I have discovered it. I cannot tell you what your motivation is or should be so I will give you some examples of my motivation and hope that you will discover yours. My motivation is really simple. Every day I walk into school with the intention that I will walk out of school in the afternoon having the knowledge of something new or enhancing some concepts that I have known previously. That is my short-term motivation. My long-term motivation is that I can one day collectively use all of the knowledge from school to obtain my Ph.D. in Physics. This allows me to enthusiastically come to school every day and ready to learn. However, this might not work for you. So you need decide on some kind of self-motivation that drives you to school. Ask yourself, “Why do I go to school?” And yes, “my parents made me go” or “because I have to” are bad answers. Think again! If you really do not know, ask for assistance from your parents or other responsible adults. When you found your motivation, here is the most important part. You need to frequently remind yourself of that motivation. It could be weekly, monthly, or every semester. I found that I usually am really motivated for the first few weeks of school and then that ceases away. If I allowed it to do so, I would be nowhere near I am now. I would remind myself of that motivation to the point that fell as strongly motivated as I did or even more. In addition, if you have a source of inspiration, it could also help you stay motivated too. A source of inspiration could be anyone in your family or any person that has succeeded in your field of interests. However, a source of inspiration does not have to be strictly a person. It could also be an object. You need to do this in order to keep yourself highly motivated throughout your educational career.

2.
Acknowledge Your Abilities – you need to know your own academic abilities so that you can have specific goals in your educational career. You need to know your academic placement, work ethnics, testing abilities, and your daily performances. You need to know what you could do, not what you might currently do. You need to acknowledge what you are capable of. For instance, you might have a B+ in your Algebra I class. However, you know for a fact that you could absolutely obtain an A in that class. Then your academic ability in that class is an A.

3.
Set Specific Goals – after you have acknowledged your abilities, then you need to set some specific academic goals. These goals could be long-term or short-term. Setting goals will also motivate you to achieve those goals. My current goal is to obtain the best grades possible. Your goal could be as simple as getting an 100 % on a history test or as determined as becoming your class’s valedictorian. Your goal does not have to be strictly encompassed around grades. It can be just to really understand something you learned in class. Whatever your goals might be, make sure that they are your maximum capabilities. Setting clear and specific goals will help you strengthen your determination and perform better in your classes. Remember to write your goals down on a piece of paper.

4.
Renovate Your Positive Attitude – always walk into school with a positive attitude and ready to learn. I know that this sounds really unrealistic but it is possible. I am not trying to say that you have to walk into school smiling and waving every single morning. At least, come to school without bitterness and complaints about how horrible school is. When you walk into school with a bad attitude, the only person that this attitude affects is you. Having understood that, I do not think that you would want to torture yourself. Instead of complaining about your teachers and your school, think of ways you could enjoy your educational experience.

5.
Have a Study System – this is extremely vital. No matter how good of a student you are, having a study system will help you improve your grades and relieve stress when due dates approach. Having a study system means that you have a set approach to certain assignments. A study system is different to everyone depending upon his/her study habits. Do whatever you feel comfortable with. For instance, buy yourself a similar math textbook to your current one or borrow one from the library. When the time of a math test or cumulative assessment comes, bring out that similar textbook and practice problems with the corresponding concepts. This will most likely prepare you for your test. You should also set a place where your concentration would not be interrupted. For long-terms projects, make a schedule of exactly what you should do, how you should do it, and when you plan to have it done. Remember that procrastination is your archenemy. Students tend to think that due dates are farther away than they really are. Remember to write all assignments down on your agenda or handbook if you do not think that you would be able to remember them. Make sure that all assignments are completed to your best abilities.

6.
Establish Good Relationships with Your Teachers – this is extremely obvious but I will still mention it anyway. Your teachers are your most direct source of assistance. Not all teachers are willing or able to help you as you would hope but most are. But what would make them help you more sincerely is that if they know that you are working diligently and with your best. Show them that you are trying your best in their classes. Also be nice to your teachers by greeting them appropriately and show them your appreciation when appropriate. Now you do not want to go overboard. Saying “hi” to them when you see them and “thank you” when they help you should be good enough. If they are willing to discuss about what they are teaching, take advantage of those opportunities. Talk to them about current events. The point is that you should establish positive relationships with your teachers so that you feel more comfortable when you seek their assistance.

7.
Be Conscientious of Your Future – be aware of what is going on around your school. Join a sport or a club that might interest you. Academically, you should always know when assignments are due. However, being conscientious of your future means that you understand what is to come. For instance, you should prepare yourself for the SAT or the ACT if you are in 11th grade. You should always be aware of your future path.

8.
Have Good Resources – Take advantage of your resources appropriately. Use your library for research or supplementary study materials. Whatever resources your school has to offer, use them to aid your academic progress. Your guidance counselor is a major resource. You could almost go to him or her for any problem. The Internet is also a good resource if you know how to use it appropriately. There are so many helpful websites that will be extremely beneficial to your academics. Some of these websites include classzone.com, hippocampus.org, and your own school website. In addition, depending on what your favorite subjects are, there are also many interesting websites that will enrich your understanding. Also, there are some websites that you can design tests and quizzes to prepare yourself for assessments such as quizlet.com. Using your available resources will make your school year so much better. But be careful when you use the Internet. There are some websites that provide inaccurate information which could jeopardize the validity of certain projects. So use the Internet as an aid with careful considerations.

9.
Check Your Progress – Always know where you were and are and be able to predict where you will be. Check your grades regularly and attempt to make new and applicable goals so that you are reaching your highest potential. Every evening, before you go to bed, take a few minutes to ask yourself whether your day was satisfactory or not. If it was, think of ways to maintain that satisfaction or improve it. If it was not, ask yourself why and how you could avoid it tomorrow.

I think with these nine suggestions, I can hope that you could improve your academic experience. I truly hope that you could enjoy your educational career as well as obtain useful experiences that will help you in real life. If you need personalized suggestions, please talk to your teachers because they know you well and can aid you to improve your educational career. Good Luck!