Starting Secondary School: Ten Tips for a Great Start
The CSJV team shares tips with future students for starting secondary school. The transition can be a source of stress for young people.
The CSJV team shares tips with future students for starting secondary school.
Starting secondary school can be a source of stress for young people going through this important milestone. A new school, a new schedule, new friends… so many changes to experience in just a few weeks! Here is a list of useful tips for students to ensure a smooth start to the year.
1 - Organize your time
Organization is definitely the key to a successful start. To manage time well, a watch is essential. Organizing your time also means preparing for the next day the night before: laying out clothes and packing your bag, understanding your schedule, identifying breaks for bathroom visits, and even practising opening and closing your locker combination. You can also get a good-sized calendar and write down assignment deadlines. Students can draw a line a few days before the due date:
- Green one week before;
- Yellow three days before;
- Red one day before the deadline.
At CSJV, teachers will share tips about digital planners to create reminders for homework deadlines.
2 - Organize your materials
We know the supply list can be quite long! For the first few days, students can check which classes are scheduled and bring only the materials for those classes (thus lightening their backpack!). Labelling materials (with your name and subject name clearly visible), a colour-coding system by subject, and an accordion-style folder for loose sheets can also help.
Finally, organizing your desk and locker is essential… avoid throwing books haphazardly at the bottom of your locker; otherwise, you risk spending too long searching for materials and arriving late to class.
3 - Visualize your first day
To manage stress before starting secondary school, students can practise visualization and imagine the day and the great experience ahead. Future students can think about what they hope to experience and mentally rehearse the day’s schedule. Breathing exercises (inhale slowly and exhale for 10 seconds) can also help, both before and during the day.
4 - Communicate, communicate, communicate!
Educators (teachers, principals, activity leaders, supervisors, etc.) are there to help students! Never be afraid to communicate with them, whether for questions or to inform them about any kind of issue: health, personal, learning, attention, etc. The school team is there to help young people, and the more information they receive about a student’s situation, the better they can support them.
5 - Take notes
Forgetfulness is so easy! It’s essential to quickly get into the habit of writing down assignments and homework, and noting teachers’ instructions. You can keep all your notes in one place, such as a notebook, and use a different pen colour to note homework by subject.
6 - Participate in activities
Getting involved in extracurricular or sports activities is a great way to make friends. At the start of the year, a wide range of activities will be offered to students. They can try a few of them — wonderful opportunities to build connections.
7 - Maintain good hygiene and healthy habits
Advice that may seem basic but is crucial! Good lifestyle habits mean going to bed early and eating a proper breakfast in the morning. Since many sports activities take place during the week, it’s also important to shower daily, bring deodorant to school, and frequently wash clothes, especially gym clothes.
8 - Find trusted contacts and reliable friends
From the very first days of school, students can write down the contact information of another student they can rely on in case of absence, or if they forgot an instruction, homework, or assignment given by a teacher. New students can also identify a trusted adult from the very first days — whether a supervisor, teacher, or principal — to confide in if needed.
9 - Find landmarks and understand the layout
During the welcome day tour of the College, students will have the chance to do a rally that takes them to all the important places in their new school. This will be an opportunity to locate key spots in the College, such as the office of the level’s assistant secretary, the student life coordinator’s office, etc.
There is always a logic to the layout of a building. At CSJV, the building is rectangular, meaning that by following the same hallway, you always come back to the starting point. There are four different wings (A, B, C, and D) and each room number starts with the floor level. For example, room A-320 is located in Wing A on the third floor.
10 - Smile and climb the mountain one step at a time
To make friends, sometimes all it takes is a positive attitude. A smile is the first step to building connections.
In any case, future students should remember that they’ll climb the mountain one step at a time, giving themselves time to get used to their new school.
From the entire CSJV team, happy back-to-school and welcome to the CSJV family!
