Empathy, honesty, patience, humor, and perseverance are just a few examples of good values. Consider some clubs and activities that might help you develop values. For instance, joining a sports team can help you practice perseverance. Joining student government can help you develop dependability, and doing community service can help you cultivate empathy and generosity. Think about how you can put those qualities into practice throughout the school day. For example, if you think generosity is a good value, then find a way to really brighten someone’s day by sharing something that belongs to you.
You’ll be less overwhelmed with your schoolwork in the long run, and will have time to deal with unexpected problems with the material you might face. If you have any trouble understanding something, never hesitate to get extra help. Ask your teacher to spend a little more time covering the material with you. See if your school offers peer tutoring services. Make a calendar so you can keep track of your homework, activities, and social engagements. [2] X Expert Source Katie StyzekProfessional School Counselor Expert Interview. 26 March 2021. Try to schedule your hangouts on the weekends or weeknights where you don’t have a test or project due on the next day. [3] X Expert Source Katie StyzekProfessional School Counselor Expert Interview. 26 March 2021.
Make decisions about your diet, how you schedule time for studying and activities, and exhibit self-control in your behavior in and out of school in order to gain a sense of independence. Independence can really help your self-esteem. Don’t be afraid to try new things or make mistakes: if you mess up, have the confidence to treat it as a learning opportunity! Be confident about your emotions: everyone has them, and everyone has to manage their emotional lives. Work on building your self-esteem so you can better manage positive and negative emotions.
It doesn’t need to be expensive, trendy, or flashy: your style should just make you feel confident and happy. Don’t pretend to like something to get someone’s attention. People being around will appreciate your different interests and want to get to know you better.
Create a diverse circle of friends by reaching out to people regardless of their race, gender, what “clique” they fit into, or any other way that they might be different from you.
It’s always best to be authentic, genuine, and sincere: in other words, don’t be two-faced. [6] X Research source
Have clear and open conversations with them about how to be a better person. Try asking, “What do you think makes a great person?” or “How do you think I can work on being less angry, or stay calmer when something dramatic happens?”
Ask them questions about decisions they made when they were your age, and ask them to help you respond to problems with schoolwork or friendships. Ask for advice about particular things and let a mentor relationship develop naturally. Think about some really good people in your life who you look to as role models. What do you respect about them? What are their best qualities and values? Don’t take on a stranger as a role model or mentor. It should be someone both you and your parents trust.
It can help to talk to a friend, parent, or mentor to get an outside opinion. Ask, “How did this decision bring about these consequences? What would have been a better course of action?” Don’t dwell if you messed up a friendship, failed a test, yelled at or said really hurtful things to someone, or anything else you might regret. There’s a difference between learning from a bad situation and obsessing over it. Learn from it, resolve the situation, then get over it and move on.
Remember, whatever happens doesn’t control how you react. Only YOU control your reaction, so make the choice: do you want to let rejection or success control your behavior? Or do you want to be the one who decides how you feel?
If you’re being bullied, try saying something small and light-hearted first. If they make rude remarks again, tell them that they’re not being nice before changing the subject. [11] X Expert Source Katie StyzekProfessional School Counselor Expert Interview. 26 March 2021. If you really feel like you’re getting picked on to the point that you feel endangered, it’s okay to ask for help. Talk to a parent, teacher, or mentor: ask them for advice about how to handle it yourself, or to help mediate the situation.
