Are you going into middle school? Are you intimidated by the older kids and larger homework loads? Well don’t worry because I’ve already been through it and as long as you follow the tips in this guide you’ll be just fine. Middle school is difficult but it’s also exciting. When you’re in middle school your worldviews change, everything you thought you knew about school is questioned. Everything and everyone seems different no matter how familiar they are. All these drastic changes can be overwhelming for new students but, the most important thing to remember is that is isn’t as scary as you think it is.
If you form good study skills, learn how to be social, and follow my personal advice I promise that you will make it through middle school. When it comes to middle school having good study skills is essential. The first and most basic of these skills is to study. You can’t just shrug off the test coming up tomorrow because even if you think you know the information, you will be surprised how much you don’t actually know. Also don’t procrastinate, the longer you put off an assignment the harder it will be for you. Do your work when you get it and then turn it in on time, it’s the easiest and best way to get through your homework.
You also need to pay attention in class. If you don’t understand something it’s probably because you weren’t listening to the explanation. Another very important skill is to put effort into your work. Take pride in what you do because, and I can’t stress this enough, your grades matter! Don’t just brush off a failed project, use it as motivation to push yourself to your full potential. The Last and most important study skill to remember is to stay organized. Without organization you will have a terrible time in middle school. You will lose assignments and lose your mind. But, work and studying aren’t the only thing you do in middle school.
There is also a social aspect in addition to the work. Lets face it doing a five page essay probably isn’t your idea of a good time. But, luckily, you don’t just work all the time. In middle school everything is magnified. And like the amount of work you have the social aspect of school is also magnified. The first thing you need to know about being social in school is that you need to choose your friends wisely. If you don’t you will be miserable, you will hate being with your friends but you won’t have anyone else to turn to. The second rule is don’t gossip and don’t cause drama.
Middle school seems to be somewhat of a magnet for drama and that’s not a good thing. Drama does nothing but make happy people upset and make depressed people worse off. Never in my eleven years of school has drama affected someone positively. Though you can’t stop all the drama yourself you can still make a difference in how much drama there is. The best way to stop drama is not to start it and the most common way dama is started is through gossip, so don’t gossip and don’t listen to gossip. Also if someone gossips about you don’t be afraid to come to a teacher or adult for help. The last thing to remember is that you are not alone.
If you’re feeling scared or confused remember that you are not alone. It may seem like everybody else has their stuff together, but I promise that they are no different than you. In middle school we are all just a big mess of emotions and the best way to deal with them is to talk to someone about them. Most likely their having the same feelings as you and even if they don’t and they are a true friend they will help you and not judge you. Friends can be great for advice, but since I’ve gone through middle school and they haven’t I’m going to give you some tips that I’ve picked up over the years.
The best advice I can give you when it comes to surviving middle school is to not make it harder for yourself than it needs to be. I feel it is very important for you to know this because it’s the thing I wish I knew most before going into middle school. I have always been very hard on myself but, unlike in elementary school, it cannot work in middle school. I beat myself up so much over everything that I developed legitimate stress issues and began having panic attacks on a regular basis. So, if you want to leave school with your sanity in check you cannot do this.
Firstly don’t worry too much because the more you worry the more difficult and less enjoyable your middle school experience will be. Secondly don’t sweat the small stuff. This can be the worst. If you take everything that happens extremely seriously it will ruin everything about school for you. That failed or late homework assignment may seem like a humongous deal now but in the end won’t matter and it will barely affect your grade at all. Also don’t take criticism personally. It may seem like your teacher is a big jerk for telling you that you need improvement but whatever they say is not only what’s best for you but it’s also probably true.
Lastly don’t put all the weight on yourself. Far too many times have I gone at a project with the outlook of me being alone. I would reject help and make myself feel pathetic for having so much trouble. Please don’t do that! You are not alone you have parents teachers and friends that would be glad to help you. Also if you are in a group project make sure that everyone is doing equal work and if someone isn’t doing their part. They make more than one person do the project because it’s more than should be put on one person.
