Middle schoolers have a big year in eighth grade.You are finally at the top of the school's social hierarchy, and you are about to transition to high school.Getting good grades and developing good study habits are important, but friendship and trying new things are equally important.Practice being confident, get organized, and be a good friend as you prepare for your eighth grade year.
Step 1: If you haven't already, join a sports team.
Signing up for a new activity you haven't done before is a great way to try new things.If you already belong to a club or team that you enjoy, stick with it and see if there are ways you could be even more involved.Start your own club if you are interested in something that doesn't already have a club.Use social media to spread the word about an initial meeting for people who might be interested, and print out flyers to hang around school.
Step 2: Drama should be avoided.
In eighth grade, there might be a lot of drama as people try to define who they are and assert themselves on the social ladder.In the end, you will have more friends and enjoy your last year of middle school more if you don't involve yourself in gossip and drama.If you have a friend who gossips about you or someone else, you may want to explain to them that they are hurting your feelings.
Step 3: Don't ditch your old friends, make new friends.
Introduce yourself to people in your classes if you don't already know them, invite people to sit with you at lunch, and try to be social when you're at school events or extracurriculars.It is important to meet new people, but don't forget about the friends you already have.Try to bring people together.If you want to make new friends, look for people with similar interests and who are kind.If there is someone in your class who you have been friendly with but haven't spent time with before, ask them if they want to get together sometime!If your old friends are starting to get into trouble by going to older parties or experimenting with drugs, it may be time to find new friends to hang out with.You don't want to get in trouble, get suspended or put yourself in dangerous situations.It is possible to talk to a friend who is participating in dangerous activities and tell them you are concerned for them.If you're worried about your friend's safety, tell a trusted adult, like a parent or guidance counselor.
Step 4: Don't be a bully.
Setting yourself up as a leader is part of the final year of middle school.Try to see the good in everyone, instead of being kind to others.Everyone else is just as nervous about going to high school as you are.If you notice that your school is being bullied, report it to a school official and a trusted adult.
Step 5: Share your ideas with other people.
If you want to meet new people in high school, brush up on your small talk and speak up in class when you know the answer.It's important to have a happy social life because others are drawn to people with confidence.Speak clearly and make eye contact with others.You will appear confident if you don't feel that way.
Step 6: You can have fun with your friends outside of school.
It's a good time to start socializing with your friends.If you want to spend more time with your friends, you need to plan some evening and weekend events.Taking a trip to an amusement park, hosting a movie marathon, going to a local park for a picnic, or having a game night are all fun ideas.It's a good way to get to know people if you invite them to a fun event.As you begin to think about going to high school, spending time with your friends in eighth grade helps strengthen your friendship.
Step 7: You can use an alarm to get to school on time.
Start setting your own alarm for the morning if you don't already.Before you head out the door, give yourself enough time to wake up, shower, eat breakfast, and get dressed.It is important to get to class before the bell rings.This will help you be more responsible when you get to high school.If you know you tend to run late, try setting your alarm 15 minutes earlier to give you more time to get to work.If you can't resist hitting that snooze button in the morning, put your alarm clock on the other side of the room so you have to get out of bed to turn it off.
Step 8: You can create binders.
Once you know what classes you will be taking, get new binders and folders from the store and organize them in the afternoon.Each class should have three different sections: assignments, tests, and notes.This will allow you to stay organized.Cleaning out your binder and filing new papers on a daily basis will help keep you organized.
Step 9: You should plan ahead.
If your school gives you an assignment book, you can schedule out the big assignments you need to complete that year.If you have a paper due at the end of the month, make a note to start writing it two weeks early.If there are books you need to read for class, you should start reading them 1-2 weeks before class so you don't have to rush to finish them.If your school doesn't give out assignment books, you can buy one or use a notebook to schedule your homework.
Step 10: It's a good idea to set aside time every day to do your homework.
If you have a study period, use it to work on school work so you can have more free time in the evening.If you don't have a study period or if you have more work than you can complete in that time, try to get all your homework done after school.You will have a hard time concentrating if you leave your homework until late in the night.Get into a routine of getting home from school, having a snack, changing your clothes, and sitting down at a desk or table to finish your homework.
Step 11: A study plan is needed for quizzes and tests.
Set aside an hour each day for the week before the test to prepare, when you know you have a test coming up.Try to study for 30 minutes at a time.You can include important dates and facts in your vocabulary flashcards.Try to read over your notes in class.If the test is large, you may want to start studying 2 weeks ahead of time.If you get test anxiety, try this: breathe in for 4 seconds, then breathe out for 8 seconds.If you're feeling anxious about a test, do this few times.
Step 12: You can find a study buddy or contact in each class.
If you have to miss a class or have a question, you will have someone to talk to.You can plan study sessions with this person to help quiz each other.It's a good idea to be careful when finding a study companion.Make sure to ask someone who is a good student and who won't try to copy off of your work, and keep in mind that you need to study more than you chat for it to be an effective study aid.
Step 13: Ask for help from a trusted adult.
You can ask for help from a guidance counselor, a teacher, or a trusted adult.It is okay to ask for help if you are struggling with something.You need to start preparing to take on more responsibility when you get to high school as this is a great time to do that.It is possible to talk to your school about getting a tutor for a specific subject you are having trouble with.It is nothing to be embarrassed about asking for help.
Step 14: Breakfast is a good way to start the day.
It's a good idea to wake up early in the morning so that you have time to eat breakfast.Eggs, toast, and oatmeal are all high in fiber and will keep you full until lunch.Try to eat a piece of fruit and a few nuts on your way out the door if you don't have enough time to make breakfast.
Step 15: Get at least 8 hours of sleep a night.
You can get at least 8 hours of sleep if you go to bed early, based on when you need to get up.You can start winding down if you set an alarm for 15 minutes before you go to bed.Turn off your phone when you go to bed so you don't get interrupted by texts or notifications.
Step 16: Exercise.
It is a good time to start exercising as you get ready to enter high school.Ask your parents if you can join the local recreation center if the weather is nice, or go for a 30-minute walk around your neighborhood after school.Exercising can help you deal with stress.
Step 17: You can experiment with your style.
Maybe you want to try a new hairstyle, change your clothes, or wear makeup.You can change things to see what you like.Remember that you can always change back if you don't like it.thrift stores are a fun and inexpensive way to update your style.If you go with a few friends, you can find new pieces to add to your wardrobe.
Step 18: Try out new things.
It's a good time to try new things, like a musical instrument or a crafting hobby.If you want to learn a new skill, you could take guitar lessons, or look online for instructions on how to draw.If you already have a hobby, you could try to pursue it more passionately.Maybe you could take lessons if you taught yourself how to play the instrument.If you want to do crafts, choose a more complicated project to work on.There are many great sites that have great tutorials.