By Jacob Hare
Staff Writer
Ask Jack
You ask and we try to answer
Hi Jack,
What are some good ways to study?
Dear JBHA Student,
The fact that you’re asking this means that you take your schoolwork seriously. Try some of these suggestions and see if they help:
1. Have a homework planner and use it every day to plan your study schedule and to make sure that you do not forget anything.
2. Pay attention in class and avoid distractions, especially if you are learning from home. Concentrate and take notes.
3. Make sure that your notes are complete; ask classmates if you can review their notes or ask your teacher to review your notes to make sure.
4. If you do not understand something, ask questions. Either ask questions in class or send your questions to the teacher via email, text message, etc.
5. Set up a study area that is quiet and away from your family to avoid distractions.
6. Take study breaks. For some students, studying for 15 minutes and taking a 5-minute break works best; for other students, studying for 30 minutes and taking a 10-15 minute break works best; choose what works best for you.
7. Find study partners, as this keeps you engaged, allows you to quiz each other, and you boost each other's confidence.
Sincerely,
Jack
Hi Jack,
What are some ways for me to manage my time?
Dear JBHA Student,
We can’t change the amount of time we have each day, but we can learn to manage our time successfully. You have to consider everything you have to do and everything you want to do. It is also important to understand how much time each activity in a day will take you. And, most importantly, make an organized plan that helps you get through the day, the week, or the month. By doing this, you will feel less stressed and happier!
With that in mind, consider the following:
Know where your time goes by creating a list of your “have-to’s” (a-d) and “want-to’s” (e-f)
Family responsibilities
School and homework
Sleep
Eating
Activities
Time to relax
Set short term and long term goals and be realistic -- sometimes you have to give up one thing to gain another.
Organization is the key! Create a time budget to track your progress -- work out a plan that lets you spend the right amount of time on each thing you need to do by making a daily schedule, keeping a weekly planner, and having a personal calendar that you review at the beginning of each month.
Don’t beat yourself up if things don’t work. There are many different methods to manage your time, so you need to find the one that is best for you -- and don’t forget to celebrate your successes!
Remember, there are plenty of people at Barrack to help you find success! Your teachers and counselors, and our resource team have plenty of helpful ideas and knowledge to share to support your learning. Here’s to a well-managed school year for everyone!
Sincerely,
Jack
Hi Jack,
How can I make the most of my senior year?
Dear JBHA Student,
You will certainly remember your senior year and have stories to tell about how you were a senior in high school during a pandemic. Yes, your experience will be different than what you may have expected, but there are many ways to make the most out of your senior year.
Think about what you may be gaining, not what you may be losing.
You may not be able to physically visit colleges, but you can visit them virtually. Find people who attend the schools that you are interested in and talk with them about their experience. Take the extra hours that you are gaining by not driving or flying to visit schools and do your research. You can also use that extra time to work on your college essays and prepare for SATs/ACTs. Don’t forget that the college office is available to help you and can connect you with alum from various colleges, universities, and gap year programs.
What else can you gain? More time at home can help you gain valuable life skills for college and beyond. If you don’t already know how to do laundry or cook, now is a great time to learn and experiment in the comfort of your own home and with the help of family members.
Get involved and stay involved.
Whether we are in school or online, be active in clubs and other activities. Think about the clubs that you have been involved in over your years at Barrack. Think outside of the box about programming and ways to make your club continue to be productive and meaningful. What can be done in smaller groups? What can be done online? How can you recruit new members?
Connect with your classmates.
Make it a point to reach out to people each week, and think outside of your “typical” peer group. There are people with whom you may interact in the building, but not necessarily outside of the building. Try to reach out to them and just check-in, say hi, and see how they are doing. This is your final year together at Barrack. Work on staying connected to one another whether you are in the building or not.
Share your ideas.
If you have an idea for a fun grade bonding activity that can be done virtually or by social distancing, share it. You will never know if it might work or if people may like it if you don’t suggest it.
Sincerely,
Jack
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