Whether you’ve already started your new school year or will start it sometime over these next few weeks, the one thing you all have in common is that it is time to make a fresh start. No matter how last year went for you or how you envision this year going, the beginning of a new school year gives you the chance to make changes that can help you see greater success than before. Whether that involves building on past successes, overcoming past challenges, or a combination of both, the great thing about the new year is that it is a clean slate, and knowing that gives you the chance to make of it the best it can possibly be.
Over the previous school year, I wrote a series of posts about how important it is to know your school’s schedule and grading periods so you can make the most of the time you have during each grading period to get the best possible grades you can, as well as to average your grades over the course of the year so you have the opportunity to make your final grades the best they can possibly be. Since I first published my website as the first grading period was nearing its end or had just ended, depending on your school’s schedule, the one time of the year I never touched on through my series of posts was the beginning of the first grading period. Starting the year off as positively as possible is the best way to make sure you won’t spend the remainder of the year playing catch-up, and if you do face challenges as your coursework gets more difficult later in the year, doing as well as you possibly can during the first grading period when the work might not be quite as challenging is a great way to boost your year-end average. While it might be tempting to start slowly because you have the whole year ahead of you to make up for early missteps, the much better course of action is to hit the ground running and put your best effort forth right away, so you have good early results to fall back on in case you face struggles as the year goes on.
In addition to a fresh start with your studies, the beginning of the new school year also offers you the chance for a fresh start with your teachers. If you have all new teachers, your goal should be to make the best first impression you can, just as you should do anytime you find yourself in a new situation. If you have any teachers you’ve had before, then the start of a new course of study in this new year is a chance both to build on what you feel went well in this teacher’s class before and to strive to improve what might not have gone as well as you and/or the teacher hoped it would. Whether you have all new teachers, all repeat teachers, or a combination of both, making a renewed commitment to your studies can go a long way toward building relationships with teachers that can boost your chances of success in their classes. Putting your best effort into what they ask of you and asking for help when you need it will show both new and repeat teachers that you take both your education and their individual classes seriously. The more able you are able to do that, the more willing they will be to do all they can to help you succeed.
No matter what your circumstances have been through the pandemic, and no matter where things stand as your new school year begins, you have the opportunity to make a fresh start. Take advantage of whatever positive steps your school and community have been able to make, and as hard as it may be to do, try not let any setbacks in what your new school year looks like keep you from striving to make the best of where you find yourself and what you are able to do. Just as I said when it comes to your teachers, take the opportunity the new year brings to build on what worked for you during the pandemic and strive to improve what didn’t. If you are continuing in virtual learning, try to improve both your engagement with your classes and your communication with your teachers. If you are returning to in-person learning for the first time, recognize that it will be an adjustment and take advantage of any support you are offered to help with the transition. If you ended the previous school year already back in class and will continue to be there, try as much as possible to see the beginning of the new school year as you would have seen it before the pandemic, but don’t be afraid to speak up if you still have concerns about the changes and adjustments that have been made to your days. The fresh start a new school year brings is a chance to respond to your circumstances, whatever they may be, as well as you possibly can, and make the most of whatever lies ahead. The better able you are to do that, the more successful your year will be.
One of the most important things to remember about the beginning of a new school year is that it provides a great opportunity to make a fresh start with a clean slate. Approaching your studies, both new and repeat teachers, and whatever circumstances you find yourself in in the most positive frame of mind possible will give you the best possible chance for success in the new year.