Survival of the Bravest

By Emily Burns

It’s finally happened – you’re in your final year of high school. Anxiety running high, rising blood pressure levels… it’s only the third week and already you have four text assignments to do, two tests to study for, a lengthy novel to read and a giant independent study unit to begin – not to mention oral presentations.

With full course loads, part-time jobs, extracurricular activities and getting those forty hours completed, all you really want to do is…

Sleep.

So, how did the graduates of the past do it? How did they survive the double cohort, the enormous tuition fees and the altered curriculum?

Here’s a couple of tips from those who know best :

Manage your time – Keep your hands on your agenda. If you have work from five until nine, start your homework when you get home from school and get up early the next morning to finish. Do your homework – It sounds simple, but it’s the key to not only passing pop quizzes, but getting those five "Excellents" on the right columns of your report card. Take a spare – If you think you’re going to collapse of sleep deprivation by next semester – and you’ve got room – get a spare. They’re great for getting homework and research done. Study – Ten minutes before you go to bed, review your courses. If a crisis happens Thursday night, you’ll be glad you reviewed on Wednesday. Sleep – Teachers know when you’re tired (bleary eyes and zero attention span isn’t that hard to pinpoint.) Get a good night’s sleep and make a good impression in the morning. Stay behind – 30% of Ontario students have done it this year in order to get extra credits or upgrade important marks. Plan ahead – Don’t wait until April to visit the places you could potentially be next year – start now! Spring will prove to be much less stressful that way. Also, if you’re applying to university or college, you can save money by narrowing down your choices – every application has a hefty dollar value. Surf the web – Take advantage of some great resources online for grade 12’s – from homework help () to getting jobs () to finding scholarships (.) Do an e-course – If you have some scheduling conflicts or just want some extra courses, sign up for an e-learning course at the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board website (.ca.) Next semester they offer College Math, Philosophy andChallenge and Change in Society. Plan a trip – It’s your last summer of being a kid. Even a two night camping trip will be a great memory to look back on. Keep a journal – It’s your last year with a lot of people you’ve known for a long time. Write down (and paste pictures) of all of the people, places and events that you want to remember next year. You won’t regret it.