Editor’s note: We’re looking for a variety of young voices to contribute to “Hits Different.” If you’d like to write a commentary, send it to Area Editor Jason Hennington at jason.hennington@ granitemediapartners. com.
As someone who left middle school not so long ago and who also has a brother in middle school, here’s some advice for those students, as well as how to succeed while they’re there.
First and foremost, drama will be the downfall of anything if you let it. If you get caught up with drama, in whatever way or reason, it will only get you nowhere. It might seem interesting and “cool,” but it only becomes worse the more people who get involved.
So try and stay away from drama as much as you can, or if you happen to get roped in, do your best to keep yourself out of it or just exit the conversation. Also, don’t start the drama, which is just as bad as getting involved in it. You get nothing out of the situation. It probably will not matter that “so-and-so” stole somebody’s sixth grade “girlfriend” or “boyfriend,” or whatever else you may get into arguments over.
Don’t spread rumors, don’t start rumors and just worry about yourself and your own life, not other people’s outlook or something you heard they said.
Another thing I wish I would’ve done in my middle-school years is try new things. I would encourage you to at least try one new thing that you maybe want to do, but don’t know if you should. You might regret not doing so later on.
I regretted not doing track in seventh grade, but tried it the next year in eighth grade and ended up really enjoying it. Even though your scene may not be track, I still encourage you to attempt something new that you are kind of nervous about trying, for you be glad that you did.
Finally, and most important, getting your schoolwork and homework done on time is something that if you do, you will have much less to worry about.
Just know when all your work is due and try to get it done when you can before then. Not every teacher is going to give you extra time to do something. They may give you the due date and that’s it.
Here is some advice: Say you have three assignments for a class due that Friday. Finish the assignments that are going to take the least amount of time first to get them out of the way and turned in, so you don’t have to worry about them anymore.
Then you can spend the rest of the week on the harder assignments that will take more time. If you can, try to do everything that you can while at school. That way, you don’t have so much piling up at home, giving you more free time.
This will also help you not lose your work easily. If your assignments are on the computer, then do the same tips and turn them in on Google Classroom (or whatever your class will use) as soon as possible, but as well as you can.
Those are just three big tips I have to give for those going into middle school.
Keep in mind that it may seem like a big deal your first year, but if you follow the rules, get work done and don’t get involved in any drama, those three years will go by sooner than you think.
