We have officially passed the halfway point of the semester, which may raise feelings of alarm or anxiety if your grades are not where you would like them to be. However, there is still a considerable amount of time to improve academically before the semester terminates. Here are the best tips for accomplishing this!
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This may seem obvious to some, but attendance is a surefire way to stay in the know of what's going on in class. If you are absent, check the platform that you use for the applicable class(es), ensuring you know what content and assignments were covered. You should also get in touch with your teacher as soon as possible, whether in-person or via email, to see if there is anything else that you missed or to resolve any questions you might have.

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2. Find A Study Buddy
This step can be crucial to success for many. Make a friend in the class, if you don't have one already, and help each other throughout the remainder of the semester. This should be someone who you get along with and can be yourself around, as it is important that you feel comfortable seeking assistance from them. Avoid choosing someone who puts you down, and be respectful to your partner as well.
3. Build A Strong Rapport With Your Teacher
It's not too late to get to know your teachers and ensure they can trust you. You can initiate this by coming to them during office hours for help if there is something you are confused about, demonstrating responsibility. Not only does building this relationship allow you to feel more comfortable and seen in class, but if you accidentally miss an assignment later on, your teacher may have more leniency because of this strong relationship.
4. Be Organized
By staying academically organized, you can eliminate the frustration of shuffling to find your homework in a sea of papers, or the self-disappointment from forgetting about a project. Find a system that works for you for storing your information, whether it is a binder, notebook, folder, or something else. This will make studying a lot simpler and less stressful. Furthermore, schedule adequate work time, so you can be more thorough and gain a deeper understanding of the content, versus rushing.
Pro tip: Assignments often take longer than you might anticipate.
5. Review Regularly
Procrastation makes it easy to fall behind, and once this starts, it can be difficult to catch up. To avoid this, it is not only important to attend class and complete assignments, but also to take extra time to catch any areas of confusion. Some of the best ways to review are by making summary sheets of lessons, flashcards, and doing practice problems. If you find that you need help, this is where having a good relationship with a peer or teacher comes in, as you can talk to them.
6. Establish Healthy Non-academic Habits
This is the most important step. If you don't have a healthy lifestyle outside of school, it will be difficult to suddenly pull your grades up. Here are some things to cover:
- Create a maintainable sleep schedule. Sleep is when your brain retains the information that it learned throughout the day, making it key for learning and scoring highly. Your schedule should allow you to sleep for adequate time without being unrealistic.
- For example, if you consistently go to bed past midnight, suddenly deciding you want to be asleep by 9 p.m. might be a bit of a jump at first. Start with 11 p.m. every night for a week, and once this feels natural, you can continue making changes as needed.
- Exercise regularly. This could be hitting the gym, running for thirty minutes, or even going for short walks between classes or study sessions. Being active boosts brain health and memory, and is also simply essential in a balanced lifestyle.
- Build relationships. Having people to rely on is important for mental health, and it is always great to have people who will celebrate your academic milestones with you.
- If possible, maintain a healthy and balanced diet, as this is linked to increased cognition, concentration, and energy levels.
Summary
The halfway point of the semester is daunting for many students, but there is still time for you to pull your grades up before the end of the semester. To do this, it is important to have consistent attendance, develop relationships with teachers and peers, stay organized and caught up, and have healthy habits outside of school. By following these steps and being diligent, you will see major changes. Good luck!