Category Archives: school life

Tips For Getting Through High School As A Freshman

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According to studies, it is reported that 60-70% of students feel nervous or anxious for a new school year. It is normal to feel scared or worried about a new school year since there are new classes, teachers, and maybe a new environment for some, especially if you are going into your freshman year. Here are some tips from a previous freshman to get you through your freshman year of high school and to help ease your worries. 

Making new friends is essential in school, and freshman year has got to be the most important year for a few reasons. Freshman year is when most people start forming their friend groups, so after freshman year, it might be more challenging to try and find your crowd because people have already found their people. However, that is only sometimes the case and you can still be in a friend group after freshman year, but it is best to make new friends during freshman year. Furthermore, if you enter your freshman year of high school with a group of friends, there is a high chance that you will not end your high school with the same group of friends. People change, and it’s a reason why many friend groups that enter high school together don’t last, and this was the case for my friend group. So don’t worry if your friend group is falling apart!

Academics are also as important as making friends in my freshman year of high school! Unlike middle school, in high school, your grades matter, so the way you manage your grades is important. To get a good grade and keep it there, there are a few things you should do, but the most important one is paying attention in class. If you pay attention in class, you will actually learn things and it will make it very easy for you when doing your assignments or tests. Of course, you can have fun during class too, but try to keep it so that you pay attention when you need to pay attention. Another major tip for keeping your grades high is to turn in your work on time! As a student who has procrastinated multiple times before, I learned the hard way that if you postpone your homework or your assignments, it will stress you so much when you have to do it late at night. You do not want to be up at 11 pm in the night rushing an assignment that takes a week to do, but you’re rushing to turn it in at 12 pm because you didn’t do it. However, academics don’t define who you are and you shouldn’t be over-exerting your body and brain if you can not handle the workload. Your well-being is more important.

Getting enough sleep will help you out with so many things in school, especially academics, so getting enough sleep is extremely crucial. If you lack sleep, you can’t focus during class because you are so tired, so your grade might plummet. So, set up a sleep routine that allows you to get at least 8 hours of sleep a night.

Finally, there are lots of people in high school that are judgemental and they might make your high school experience not as fun. However, if you just stop caring about what people think about you, then it will make your high school life so much easier! Don’t let others ruin your high school experience! 

Hopefully, these will help you make your high school years worthwhile or at least ease your worries about starting high school. Your life as a student is not forever, so make it worthwhile by enjoying your high school years.

MUN 101: How to get started in Model United Nations

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Model United Nations is an academic simulation of the United Nations where delegates of different countries gather to attempt to solve real world issues. In Model United Nations (MUN), students act as the role of the delegates and model what it is like to be a real delegate and solving real world issues.

The quickest way to get into MUN is to join your school clubs or classes if available. Students are able to get more experience and learn faster that way. If there isn’t any of those choice, there is always the option to start your own! Ask your school’s teacher and counselors about those options.

MUN consists of a lot of parts. You need to complete research papers on your country, position papers, resolution papers, and opening speeches. Now, it may seem complicated, but there are so many different free resources out there for you. Websites like UN.ORG, AMUN.ORG, AllAmericanMUN.ORG are just some of the many resources out there. Many videos are available on YouTube with free tips and tricks on how to improve quickly and efficiently.

Basic needs for almost every conference is all of your research on your assigned country, your position paper, 6-10 resolutions on the topic which including reliable sourcing to back them up, opening speech, a few mods that you may want to bring up to discuss, a notepad, and writing utensil. As for MUN conferences (which are competitions) formal wear is usually if not always required. Delegates are usually required to wear suits and or any other type of formal wear.

Good luck on your MUN journey!

Freshman Year

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An increased amount of overwhelming workload, less time for self, and a brand new environment with lots of unfamiliar faces. These are some things that teenagers usually face when jumping from middle school to high school. Freshman year of high school is a very BIG leap from middle school and this can be very overwhelming for some, but don’t fret. As a student who just finished my freshman year of high school, I will be sharing my personal experience and some tips and tricks!

I do not know what your middle school teachers have told you about high school, but if they tell you that high school is going to be difficult, then they are completely right. Well, at least for me. For me, moving from 8th grade, where everything came easy and I had little worries, to 9th grade with barely any time for anything. It was very hard for me to adjust but do not worry, it might be a lot at first, but you’ll get used to it. 

One thing to keep in mind is that whether you like it or not, you have to socialize. In middle school, I was able to pass without making many new friends, since a lot of assignments and projects allowed independence. However, now in high school, most things require socializing, whether it be for participation or for a group project. However, this isn’t so bad! Through these forced interactions with new people, I gained new friends. These new friends have definitely impacted me lots, both positive and negative, but most of these impacts were positive. I am really glad to have made all these friendships this year.

Speaking of friendships, it is also very important to remember that people change and that’s alright. There’s a saying that “The people you enter high school with might not be the same people you leave high school with” and I did not believe it at first, but it already is the case for me. The people I got into high school all separated and went our own ways, so if you stop being friends with your friends during freshman year, then do not worry. There are tons of other people and amongst them, there is definitely someone who you can really connect to. 

Another important thing that is very useful, especially if you plan on taking hard classes during your freshman year, is to make sure to turn in your work on time and be responsible. Grades actually matter in high school, so fooling around is not the best idea. Once you get your homework assigned, do it immediately if you can. Procrastination is not the best because if you have lots of workload, waiting to do it last minute is a very bad decision and you will definitely regret it later. Stressing about turning in your homework before 11:59 is not worth it!

Since grades matter, the way you study matters as well! Think of the phrase “Study smarter, not harder.” It is best to find a good grade through a study technique that works for you rather than getting the same amount of grade but with more workload. A few study methods you can try are pomodoro technique, Feynman Technique, active recall, and more. Keep in mind that it’s not the same for everyone, so one method might work for someone else, but not for you, which is why you should try testing out many study techniques to find the best one for you. 

However, grades don’t really define who you are, so if you don’t get the best grade, at least you tried your very best! So if you’re as nervous for high school as I was last year, I just wanted to let you know that you will be fine. Yes, it will be hard at first, but it will get easier! I wish you the best of luck!

Carpenter’s Performing Arts Center: A Performer’s Experience

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In early March, La Paz Intermediate received an invitation to play at Carpenter’s Center in Long Beach, California. Our symphony orchestra would be playing alongside some of the best intermediate schools in California. Although it seemed like an ambitious goal, we were up for the challenge.

After months of practice, hand cramps, and heavily annotated sheet music, we were ready for our performance on May 19th. The performers’ entrance was clearly marked and easy to find, and each school was given a large space to warm up and tune. The hosting group was the South Coast Youth Symphony Orchestra, comprised of the most talented high school and middle school students in our area. They provided us with dinner and let us explore parts of the campus. Additionally, there was a room where we could watch the other schools perform on a TV. Obviously we were a bit judgmental of them, due to the competitive nature of teenage musicians. 

There were two schools performing before us: One of them was a band and the other was an orchestra. La Paz would be the last performing school with a combination of both band and orchestra. I was the principal viola player, so I would be seated near the very front of the stage. When our performing time approached, we were led backstage and given specific instructions of how to enter and exit. We waited in anxious silence for the orchestra before us to finish.

Finally, we went onstage. The auditorium was completely sold out— filled with supportive family members and other schools. Usually, we struggled to fit all our musicians in one space, but the Carpenter’s stage had more than enough room for everyone to spread out. After a few words of introduction from our conductor, Mr. Robbins, we began our pieces. We played four pieces, one of them being exclusively for strings and the rest played all together. The sound shells implemented above the stage drastically helped the quality of our music.

When the last note was played, we received a standing ovation from the audience. Mr. Robbins later said that it was probably the most applause he’s ever gotten for a group, which was impressive considering he’s been teaching for 31 years. Overall, it was an extremely unique experience that I am very thankful I was able to participate in. Even though it was difficult work, it was definitely worth it in the end.

Freshman Advice

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I know that high school may seem like this big daunting thing that is super scary and stressful. I can tell you from personal experience that while it can get stressful at times, it truly isn’t as bad as it seems. I have complied some tips that I have learned along the way that I wish freshman me had and I wanted to share them with you today.

  1. Time Management

I know this may seem cliche but I truthfully believe this is the one thing that will lead you to success. Time management doesn’t mean getting a planner out and planning out every single second of your day, it could just mean writing a reminder in your phone about when an assignment is due. I cannot stress the importance of using your phone as an academic tool. I personally like to use my phones calendar as a reminder system because I can set it to be a lock screen widget. I can say that the calendar has saved me stress more times then I can count.

2. Join Clubs!

Another cliche but it really is true. Clubs are the way to make yourself stand out in a crowd. I know thinking about college right now may seem scary but thinking about the little things you can start freshman year that your future self will thank you for is very important. I personally didn’t start joining clubs until my Junior year and that is when you should be going for leadership positions and trying to make your extra curriculars stronger. If your school provides it, I think CSF or California Scholarship Federation, is the best club to join your freshman year. It is a volunteering based club which means it teaches you how to time manage as well as make an impact on the community!

3. Try Sports Out

Now, I’m not saying go all into sports and make that the only thing on your mind, but if you generally are not an athletic person, joining a no cut sport may help boost your athleticism and make more friends. I decided to give a no cut sport a try my Sophomore year and I can say that some of my best friends came out of that sport. Remember, if you don’t like it you don’t have to stay! No one is forcing you to do that sport, you are always free to say I don’t like this and quit. Nothing is wrong with quitting if it doesn’t make you happy to be there, happiness is always the main priority.

These were some simple tips and tricks I have complied to help out the future class of freshman before going into high school. The main tip I have is to have fun! Not everything is as serious as it seems, everyone is learning and everyone will make mistakes. You got this 🙂

Next Year Jitters

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Whether you’re going into high school, Junior year, or Senior year, then obviously it’s going to be scary. As a sophomore who is going into Junior year, there are so many nerves that are just happening all at once. Especially now that you have to try harder in your academics for potential colleges and careers. One thing I’m glad I know though is that I’m not going through this whole feeling alone, so it gives me that sense of comfort. I asked a lot of my friends these questions about what they’re going to be doing for their classes next year and every response I get makes it seem like they have it all figured out, which I have to admit, I’m a bit jealous of.

It’s not that I know what I’m walking into next year in terms of academic courses, but it also runs down to the fact of how I’m going to handle it. One thing I tend to notice about myself is that I don’t know how to handle pressure, which is a skill I desperately need to work on, but at the same time, how does that benefit me for next year? Because I know that this year (or whatever grade you’re in now) determines a good portion of your life. I know everyone has their way of coping with certain situations, but there would also be a lot of doubt when I feel the walls closing in. Maybe it’s because of fight or flight reaction..?

I know a lot of schools right now are getting out for the summer right now, but thinking about next year kind of makes you think in a new light. How everything in your school career has gone into this very moment of now. Moving into the next grade and all that good stuff, embracing new and old peers, learning new subjects, it all seems a bit surreal. I could probably just be ranting here but the whole moving up to another level of school is very dawning, it just occurred to me that I’m entering junior year next year and mentally, I am not ready in the slightest.

But, I also think about the new things I will be enduring too, because high school is an experience that you can experiment with both the good and the bad at the same time, so it gives that good reflection too! I would say I’ve enjoyed these past two years so far, and it’s also nice to know that I’m in the same boat with a lot of people too. It’s sad but true, school does get harder as you go, but the only way we can actually persevere through the trials and tribulations is just to dive in head first and put in the work to make it all worth it.

AP Seminar: Recommended Class For Juniors!

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Taking AP Seminar this year has helped me learn and investigate more deeply into a specific topic that I enjoyed. This class is unique from other classes I have taken because it allows you to collaborate with other people to research a topic that interests the whole group.

This class has also helped me develop skills for independent research such as developing the skills to create a research question and being able to narrow down the question into something that is more researchable.

Not only does this apply to real-world applications such as what is happening around the world currently, it also teaches you truly how to research, which oftentimes requires collaboration.

For those of you who get nervous while presenting, this class is for you too! Because this class is a research class, you first do the research, and then you present your topic.

The first 4 months of the class are focused on writing your Individual Research Report (IRR) and a Team Multimedia Presentation (TMP). In these months, your group gets to choose a topic, spend time drafting an arguable research question, and then put that research into a slideshow. The IRR is written simultaneously while you are researching in which you put the different perspectives you researched into conversation with one another.

The second part of the seminar course is where you receive a packet of around 5 stories or articles revolving around a theme. This part is the independent portion and you get to draft your research question based off of the theme. Then, you write a report of your findings and make a 6-8 minute presentation on it by yourself.

This AP course, I believe, is essential for real life as well. In college, we’ll have to be able to research topics we don’t understand, and with this ability we learn in high school, we can better thrive in college.

Tips to Study for the AP Test

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Test season is almost here already, and that means that the AP Test is coming up soon as well. The AP test can sometimes be a lot to study for, so here are some helpful tips that helped me and will make studying a breeze.

1. Buy a test prep book.

One thing that I found helpful when studying for the AP test is to get a test prep book. This contains a condensed version of the material found in the course, so you can review the material from the whole year and then test your knowledge of the material. A good place to get these books is from Princeton Review.

2. Review your notes.

Another strategy that I found helpful when studying was to review my notes from the year. It can sometimes be hard to remember topics that were taught at the beginning of the year, so reviewing can be helpful especially if you have forgotten some of the material.

3. Study the important topics.

Another useful strategy I found for studying is to review the most important topics or areas of the course first before covering other subjects as well. Spending more time on larger topics can be helpful and is a more effective way to review for the test as well.

4. Take practice tests.

One of the best ways to study for the AP test is to take practice tests. Practice tests can help you to study better and know what material to focus on while you are studying. They can also help you to take the test more effectively, and I personally found them very helpful. Some good places to find these practice tests include College Board and Khan Academy.

5. Make a study schedule.

Another approach you can take to studying is to make a study schedule and to plan out your studying. This allows you to plan backward from the date of the test, and spread out your studying into more manageable blocks over a longer period of time. This also ensures that you are well prepared for the test and are not rushing to study.

6. Make flashcards.

Another method of studying that I found useful was making flashcards. Making flashcards can help you to remember important materials, especially formulas and vocabulary. It is also helpful for quickly reviewing concepts, and helps to prepare you for the test as it gives practice with giving answers for a question format.

7. Use AP College Board resources.

I also found that the AP College Board online resources were very helpful for studying as well. These resources include content reviews and topic quizzes, as well as AP Daily videos, which are daily reviews of material covered in the AP courses, all of which are very helpful when reviewing.

These are some of the important ways that you can make your studying for the AP test much easier and more effective as well, so be sure to try these tips and tricks before your next test!

Heading to the library? Teen Test Survival Kits, created by the Mission Viejo Library Teen Advisory Board, are available to pick up at the library.

Effective Study Methods

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Have you ever spent hours struggling through textbooks, study guides, and notes only to completely forget everything during the exam? Or even worse: you are forced to pull all-nighter, and sleep through your alarm! Even if you personally don’t struggle with these, implementing these 3 study methods can still provide major benefits.

  1. The Feynman Technique

In simple terms, this is just explaining to someone– out loud– your study concept. Don’t use any technical terms. Think of it as explaining it to a fifth grader. This may sound weird, but it works for many reasons. Firstly, explaining a concept helps you understand and memorize it yourself. Speaking out loud is more memorable than just writing it down or reading it. Secondly, it helps you fill any gaps in your knowledge. If you can not explain a concept in simple terms, you do not know it well enough. You can also see what parts you forget to mention. This technique is best used when you have reviewed the concepts at least once.

  1. Blurting

Blurting is when you write down everything you remember onto one space. This can be a few sheets of paper, a whiteboard, or even a mirror! Personally, I do not have access to a large whiteboard– so I like to write on my mirror with dry erase markers. It works just the same. This method helps with memorization, gaps in knowledge, and understanding of the concept. 

  1. Spaced Repetition

This method ensures that you won’t be pulling any all-nighters! First, calculate how many days you have until your exam. Next, write the specific topics you want to review, and how long for. Then, follow these guidelines to space out your studying. 1st session: this day. 2nd session: the next day. 3rd session: a week after, 4th session: a week and ½ after. Continue this– spacing out each study session– until the day of your exam! 

Together4Teens on April 13

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Join the library, the City of Mission Viejo, and other local groups for this great event for teens and their parents!

Earn community service credit while attending valuable workshops. There will be a resource fair plus a complimentary lunch. Don’t miss the guest speaker, Larissa May!

For more details, see the program here.