There’s a saying that goes: Start as you wish to finish. Resolving to give the very best from the very beginning, and putting in the necessary work every day, will ensure high school students perform to the very best of their ability this year and reach their goals, says Izak Stander, Principal of Abbotts College Northcliff.

“Every year when I welcome my management team back to campus, I remind them that every new year brings a new chance to start off right. This is true not just for our teachers and staff, but also for all students, who will benefit from taking a little time to reflect and realign their goals as we enter the new academic year,” says Stander.

He says there are a few things high school students can do to get them started on the right track towards a successful year:

1.Set goals

Setting both personal and academic goals is the starting point. Jot some ideas down on paper and remember to put an estimated date of when you plan to reach this goal, and measures you will put in place to meet your goals.

If you are entering senior high school, this is a great time to start doing your research on different tertiary institutions to gather information regarding admission scores, subject requirements, duration of studies, and so forth while the pressure isn’t yet on.

Also remember that public universities are not your only option, and that there are highly respected qualifications you can pursue through private higher education providers such as The Independent Institute of Education.  

Once you’ve determined what you want to accomplish this year (or in the years to come if you are close to finishing school), you can reverse engineer the milestones you need to reach to realise your future dreams.

2.Do the work – every day

Discipline is probably the most important weapon in your arsenal. Being disciplined every day, and completing the tasks which are the building blocks towards mastery in a systematic and sustained manner, is a winning formula. Sometimes today’s work may seem negligible and easily left until tomorrow, but the small tasks will soon compound and you will find yourself suddenly under pressure (causing stress and anxiety) which could have been avoided.

3.Find a great school and choose the correct subjects

Finding a great school is important. Read more about tips to help you choose a great school here. Sometimes even students who try their best find that they are not happy in their environment, or not making the progress that they are capable of. While it is important to make a commitment to do your very best in the environment you find yourself, it is equally true that if something is just not working, it is not worth keeping on doing the same thing and expecting different results.

All people are different, and if the traditional school environment turns out not to be the optimal one for you, it is worth considering your options and making a change if you find a better fit. 

At Abbotts College, for instance, students are able to continue learning in a non-traditional environment. Students also have access to after hour teacher assistance and subject clinics. Regular feedback in the form of 7 report cards throughout the academic year also assist students to continue to track and improve on their academics. 

4.Find your balance

While your academic journey is extremely important, you should also strive to maintain a well-balanced personal life. Spending quality time with your friends and family, regularly exercising and having good routines for eating, sleeping and relaxing is very important. Having a good routine will also ensure that you are in a good foundational mindset to achieve your goals. 

“All of us must regularly take a step back to re-evaluate our goals,” Stander says. 

“The most successful people all over the world continuously must take a step back, realign, and make changes to achieve success. Never give up, and be kind to yourself and to others. May 2022 be a very successful year for all students and our wider community!”

Written by our principal at Abbotts College Northcliff, Mr Izak Stander.