How to get through high school?

Question

I just started the other day, and I'm already so stressed out.

One issue I'm having difficulty figuring out is how to store my bag during gym. The gym lockers are tiny, and I can't leave my bag in my locker because I have to share my locker with a girl I barely know. My bag is large, and I'm sure it won't fit in my gym locker, so I have no idea what I'm going to do! Anyone have this issue? How did you deal?

Also, any advice on carrying 38927523 heavy books around would be helpful as well.

Or dealing with 38925723 pounds of homework.

Or stopping procrastinating.

Answer 1

YAY I'm a high school sophomore and dealt with all that c**p last year.

First of all, before anything, you have to realize that you aren't in middle school anymore. Your education actually determines how good your life will end up being.

What I did was I just kept my bag outside the gym. Make sure you put your cell phone (and anything else valuable) inside your locker though. I highly doubt anyone will steal your math book for example...

As for the girl you dont know, I highly doubt you wont connect with her by the end of the semester, so dont worry about it.

Once you get into the school year you will get used to the bookload. Just keep in mind next year's load will be lighter. (The term "freshman backpack" exists for a reason!) Also, store the books you aren't using for your next class in your locker if you don't want to carry them around.

Procrastinating? hehehe I do that too... I really don't think there is a cure for it. Just be careful not to let it get out of control...

I hope I helped

Answer 2

Just get a larger sized backpack or a large tote (don't ever get those tna bags because even though they're nice and spacious, the straps hurt your shoulders like crazy).  And the best way to deal with homework is to start right when u get home.  I know it sounds geeky, but if u finish homework before you do anything else, once you've finished, you're free to do whatever you want to do and you don't have to worry about it.  Work in a comfortable area and take a 2 minute break every 30 mins or until you can't think straight.  

About the locker: put less stuff in your gym bag?  All that you really need are shorts, a t-shirt and shoes.  Those don't take up too much space..

Answer 3

Wow isn't high school great?

Yeah. I know, its not.

Books are heavy. Homework sucks. I procrastinate all the time too.

This stuff happens.

Eventually you'll fall into a routine, and you'll procrastinate regularly on a schedule.

It'll be much easier then.

As for your cell phone situation....

You might have to downsize on books. Put them in your regular locker right before gym.

Maybe you should get to know this girl, then you could trust her and your problems would be solved.

People in your gym class aren't who you should be worried about... You go to gym with them. You're always with them.

its other people coming in the middle of gym class and stealing random stuff from unlocked lockers.

Really, you need to stop assuming everyones out to get your stuff. Because most people aren't. Am I saying you shouldn't be careful? No. But You have to share a locker with somebody, you're gonna need to at least be on OK terms with them, not constantly suspicious of them. I mean, she didn't do anything to lose your trust did she?

If you don't flaunt your cell phone, she probably wont even know you have one.

Answer 4

Carry less stuff in your bag, it will squish down to fit in your locker

Plan out your trips so that you know exactly what books you need and leave the rest behind

Get a handle on principles of learning rather than trying to deal with each assignment separately.

I'll get back to you on the last one.  one of these days :-)

Answer 5

I am a sophomore this year and once you know your way around (which takes about a week) everything will feel like normal. Try not to stress out so much. Sure being a Freshman means you're at the bottom rung of the latter but it is much easier than you'd think.  

Answer 6

It's all very overwhelming, isn't it? But it does get better, and it's survivable, I promise.

First off, you need to drop your load down to something that can be handled. This means that you have to leave books in your locker between classes and only carry the books you absolutely need until the next time you can get back to your locker. Same if you don't have the same classes every day. If you don't have say, chemistry two days a week, and you're not planning on working during lunch or if you get study time, then leave the book and notebook at home.

I used to get those thick big colorful rubber bands and use them to keep the book and notebook together for every class, then I could just grab what I needed all together.

Keep a separate bag for your gym stuff so that you don't take up as much room in your gym locker.

To keep up with homework, try and work in an area with no distractions or only simple distractions, i.e. a window is okay, but a TV is not. Listen to music, but make it instrumental music. It helps you concentrate. Don't try and do all your math and then all your science and then all your history or whatever, do two pages of this, read five pages of something else. If you get sick and tired of working on one subject, take a short break, then move onto something different and then come back to the more difficult topic later. (This is also great for tests... if a question hangs you up, go past it, work on others, and then come back and answer the problematic one.)

When things get really, really bad, what I always did was make up lists of everything, and I mean EVERYTHING that I needed to do. This helps break everything into manageable steps (writing a paper would have about eleven steps, including "pick subject" "get five books on subject" "make outline" etc. etc. up to "make copies") that aren't too daunting, and also helps to make you feel a sense of accomplishment once you have started checking things off, and that makes things seem a lot better.  

Answer 7

Oh you poor thing, I feel for you, really.  High school is tough, but you can get through it.  Does your bag contain books or gym clothes, or personal belongings?  If it contains something that you consider valuable or sentimental, leave those things at home.  If possible use a smaller bag.  Ask your gym teacher what she recommends.  When I was in high school I went to my locker between every two classes, that way I didn't have to carry around tons of heavy books.  However, in college, we didn't have lockers, so we did carry around a million pounds of books, etc. all day.  I highly recommend Jansport booksacks.  Even though it used to be considered "nerdy" to use the straps on both shoulders (we carryed it on one shoulder) it is much better on your back if you have a sturdy booksack. Good luck, and it really does get better.  You'll have to figure out what works for you, and eventually you'll just sort of "fall" into your own routine.  Good luck!  

I just read your additional answer:  if you leave your cell phone in your locker, make sure that you "lock" it first (i.e. you'd need to type in a numerical code in order to use it to call out) and put the phone in something that isn't obviously a cell phone case.  A pencil bag isn't a bad idea, maybe even put it inside of a notebook.  Who's going to steal a notebook?  Don't worry - it will all work out.  I went through it (of course, we didn't have cell phones in the caveman days, LOL).  You'll get through high school too.  Try to stop thinking so much about how to fit your bag in a locker.  In the grand scheme of things, that is a very minor obstacle to overcome.  Good luck to you!