The school year has rolled around again, along with homework, sports, music, and other extracurriculars. Here are some tips on staying successful and focused throughout all the stress this year.

Put God First – Whether it be a morning when I’m rushing around trying to get things done, or an afternoon when I go from one lesson to the next, I realize it can be difficult to make time for God. Over the last few weeks I noticed just how unimportant these things are compared to the life God wants us to live. Every morning, just take five minutes for Him. Invite Him into your life; ask Him to guide you every step of the way. Not only will this make you happier, but if you trust in God, He will take away the stress and help you become successful.

Don’t Procrastinate – We are all guilty of putting homework off until the last second. But if you stay ahead of the work and make sure you’re turning everything in on time, school will become a lot easier to handle. Try making a homework schedule and sticking to it!

Stay Organized – For me, staying organized is one of the hardest things in the world. Ask my friends and family: They will all say that I’m a very messy person. I’ve learned that just taking five or ten minutes to tidy my room or locker makes a big difference. If you make sure to keep your locker organized, you won’t have to worry about where all your papers are going.

Allow Time for Yourself – From extracurriculars to hanging out with friends, it seems like there is no time for ourselves anymore. Making sure that you leave time for yourself during the day is important. Maybe this means watching an episode of your favorite TV show or exercising while playing a fun sport. Not only will allowing time for yourself take away some of the stress, but it will also help you stay focused.

Try Your Best – We’ve all heard this phrase before, but have we all actually tried our best? I know that many times I haven’t given life my all. Instead I just sit back and let others make up for my lack of effort. This year, I encourage you to try your best with me. Together, we can have the best sport teams, musical groups, and GPAs than any other school around. If we put our faith and trust in God, I know we can make this school year more successful than ever.