Goals: Preparing for school

School can be overwhelming! You have to make sure you have the basic items (pen, paper etc), you have to know your classes and schedule and ......I dont know about you but this all can become overwhelming.

Since school is around the corner I want to talk about the college and possibly highschool. Lets break down the goals.

1) Apply in ADVANCE
Find a few schools that you like. Apply as early as possible. The reason for applying to more than one school is that schools tend to fill up quickly. Sometimes they can not add everyone. So you may not be picked to go to that paticular school. It is always good to have two or more other favorite schools to choose from.

2) While you are waiting to find out which school you are accepted to go to, go get basic nesecarry needs.
What are those? Those are the things we have had since we were kids:
Backpacks, Pens, Pencils, Markers, Color pencils, Paper, Binder, report covers, etc. If you know what area you are going to study then get some items to relate to it. Example: if you are going to study art you may take a drawing class and need professional drawing pencils, or maybe a painting class and need oil paints. However make sure what you are buying is accepted in each of the colleges you applied. For some colleges may want you to use a certain brand

3) Once you figured out what school you are going into you will need to figure out the payment schedule.
Some can pay up front since they have been saving. Others who may not have had a way to save can opt for another option such as finacial aid, student loans, scholarships or grants. I would look into each one the school offers. (Tip: I heard it is really hard to pay back on student loans. I would look for things you dont have to pay back). Also check and see if they have what is called a bog waiver. A bog waiver is a program that will pay for your tuition fee. Sometimes all or most of it. (you may have to pay your health fee yourself). Once you have the payment down it is time to move on to the next step.

4) Sign up for classes.
This is always a challenge in its own for not becoming overwhelmed. The best thing is to get a foot into the door. For each year you attend you will move up on thier priority list and soon you will be one in the first group to sign up for classes. (groups: Usually schools do a lettering system where those in group A have high priority since they have been there, in the lower levels they dont have priority do to lack of academic attendance or they were on probation)

If it is your first time I would not overwhelm yourself with alot of classes. But I would pick out several classes that you may be interested in taking and seeing which ones are available. Try to take some easy classes in with the hards. I would not suggest doing all hard classes for you will be overwhelmed and alot of people drop out because of it. I would suggest maybe a fun PE such as swimming or bowling, and a drama, music, art, or something that interest you class, then a couple of general classes.

Another thing is to see about the teachers. Ask around and see what teachers do a good job teaching on those subjects. Of course you are the final decider on that. I know one teacher I enjoyed a friend of mine didn't. But more than often you will notice the good teachers have alot of people saying great things about them.

Don't get upset if the class you chose is already filled. Try to get on the waitlist and always rememebr you can take it later when you are on higher priority on the schools list.

5) Books.
Oh the joy of books. Some like to buy thier books as quickly as possible, some like new some like old. I am one for the cheaper the better. What I typically do is find my classes out. Go see what books are needed for it by looking in the book store. Sometimes I can find some used books for half price of the original book there. I write down all the books I need (if cheap enough 1-5dollars I will pick up the book...but how likely is that?) then I will check and see what books the students are selling and see if I may find the book I am looking for at a good price, if not I take the list home. I get on the internet and look up the books. Halfprice.com is always being mentioned in my school. Look for the good deals.

Things to note: I write all this down
Same Title
Same Description
Same AUTHOR
Same UPC
Same Edition
Prices so I can compare

I once just wrote down the author and title and came out with a totally different edition and had to return it since it was not the same book for the class.

6) Breathe

Once you have:
* Your school picked
* Payment started (or finished)
* Class schedule
* Your basic needs
* Your books

It should be near time to go to school. This is the breathing stage as I call it. It is where your nerves are a wreck because you are anxious, scared, excited and so forth to go to school. This is when I say breathe. Take the extra little time you have here and do something fun. Some like to get thier hair cut, go buy some new clothes, get their nails done. So relax. Find a book and read it.

7) First day of class!
To be honest I do one step before I go into my first class. I usually either go the day before or I will go an hour before each class and go find my class doors. I like to be prepared as to where I am going into. So usually the day before is best for me. I will go over my schedule and see where each class is. I make a note on my schedule as to where it is so I will remember the first day.

*Take an hour or a day before the first day of class and go over all your rooms to see where they are so you wont be lost the first day.

* Smile (a smile will help you not only calm down, be excited but will help make a friend.) People who see others looking confident will usually smile back at you.

* listen to the instructer!!!

*Make sure to get the SYLABUS: Most important

*Take note to what is due next class (always important and most of you should know this already)

Two things I want to note here. Listening to instructer and sylabus.
Why do I think those are important?

Listening to instructor:
If something seems out of place then more than likely it is. Listen to your feelings if you dont think you should be there then leave. Find another teacher that is teaching the same class and see if you can transfer.

I once walked into a class and listened as the instructer pointed to several students and told them they were going to pass, he then turned and told the rest of the students they were all going to fail.....At the end of his class those he pointed to Aced his class the rest did not. ~Cameron

I went to a class where the instructor made fun of his students. It was the first day and he already was pinpointing out students. He said here is my email but i never check it, here is my phone number but I will never answer it, here is my class schedule but do not disturb me and my office hours are on the back but it better be important for you to go there. Then one student got up to leave, he took the sylabus with him. As the boy was leaving the teacher said "Oh you are leaving? That sylubus will look good pinned up to your failure picture on the wall" I waited until class was over then I went and transfered to the night class. The teacher there was wonderful. ~Judy

NO STUDENT SHOULD PUT UP WITH MOCKING TEACHERS>>>>> Same goes for NO TEACHER SHOULD PUT UP WITH MOCKING STUDENTS. If you see this happening please report it. You can do it anonomously.

The sylabus:
This is important because it tells you what your class is going to be like.

When reading you will see what all you need: if you have the right book, what test sheets, or other items that are needed that you didnt know about before. It also breaks down how many assignments and when they are due. Pay attention to all the rules. (Even though most sylabus are the same, some teachers are different and may throw something different into a sylabus)

I went to school one day and the teachers instruction was: I want you to read the sylabus I have placed in front of you. Make sure that you do as it says...like no cheating, the assignments and so forth. After you are done doing so you may leave. Quite a few students got up and left. As I was reading it I noticed something odd. It said: if you are reading this like you should please take out a sheet of paper and write your name on it. The more I read the sylabus the more I had to do. It was kinda fun and like a treasure hunt to go through the sylabus and see what we were supposed to do. When we finished we turned it in he gave us an A for our very first test in the class!!!! Then we were allowed to go when he stamped a star on the paper we left. It was great. Alot of students were upset they didnt stay and tried to redue it but the teacher said only those that followed the instructions got an A... the rest had to do a differnt test and got points off of it. After that day EVERYONE followed the instructions. ~Kiley

I hope you all are getting prepared or have been. I know for us here classes are right around the corner. Have a wonderful day and I will see you next week!!!

~Hugs Keyria~

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. ~Phillipians 4:13