Today, before I dispatch you to your respective missions, I have prepared a list of your objectives. Please treat this list as a guide to a more enjoyable and successful stay in high school.
Missions for the Grade 7 students: Get yourself familiar with your surroundings
- read your Student Handbook and understand the things you can and cannot do in school (dress style, hairstyle, and other things that can get you to unwanted trouble) so you can avoid disciplinary actions
- get to know the people around you aside from your classmate and teachers (your principal, librarians, nurses, maintenance staff, etc.)
- roam around and know your school more (from the Principal's Office, faculty rooms, to the clinic, library, and cafeterias, etc.)
- take note of your classmates' names and make friends with others
Missions for the 2nd year students: Know more about yourself
- discover the subjects you find easy and difficult and do something about the latter
- gauge your social skills and ask something like “Do I panic when people talk to me?” “Do I easily get frightened when a stranger asks me questions?”)
- measure your communication skills in Filipino and English
- know what interests you and find a club that can cater to these things
- reflect on the things mentioned above and start to list down college or technical-vocational courses you'd like to take
- begin to visit schools as well, though you may need to ask your parents to come
Missions for the Junior: Know yourself more (part 2)
- work on challenging subjects while not forgetting the easier ones
- ponder on the course list you created in 2nd year and by the end of the academic year, list the five courses you are interested in taking
- review and catch up on topics you are uncertain about during summer break as preparations for upcoming college entrance examinations
Missions for the Senior: Focus on the necessary things
- make your term papers, science projects, and other important examinations seamless
- enjoy your last year in high school by joining the prom
- prepare for your graduation (Yahoo!)
You see, in order to finish high school with flying colors, you need to take baby steps. No one needs to rush. No one needs to cram. Like what a funny friend told me: “Let’s burn the bridge when we get there.” Proper timing is everything. May this list serve you well in the education battleground that is high school.
When you’ve graduated from high school, and then to college, and you realize you are better than before, you can now call yourself a winner.