Tips to Help during this Bittersweet Season for Seniors, the Class of 2020.

Congrats to the Class of 2020, You Did It!!

“Take pride in how far you’ve come, have faith in how far you can go, but don’t forget to enjoy the journey.”

Michael Josephson

Most of our Georgia seniors had their last day of classes without students, teachers or administrators even realizing it was the last day. Implications of Covid-19 presented so many challenges for seniors – preparing for tests and doing schoolwork at home, which is a distraction-filled environment, and not getting the typical senior year events and memories from them such as prom, spring break, yearbook signing, typical graduation ceremonies, all the lasts, and not having the chance to say goodbye to many people who have helped shape them into who they are. Beyond graduation, students are wondering what the college landscape and job market will look like and even if they will be able to get together with friends before Summer is over. What they do have is resilience and a strong story to share with the world of how they are overcomers. 

Here are some tips to help during this bittersweet season for seniors.

Study Tips:

1. Sleep Well: sleep 7-10hrs at night so you are more awake and energized
2. Exercise:  let off steam and clear your mind, an active mind is more productive
3. Eat Healthy: your body will feel better and be more alert
4. 50-10 rule:  study 50 minutes in an hour and use the last 10 minutes to clear your mind
5. Organize your calendar: designate a time for studying, free time and exam time
6. Make study guides or study in groups 🡪 as long as it isn’t a distraction; do practice quizzes or quiz your friends
7. Relax: keep your stress levels low and worry less

Final Exams: There are many ways to deal with stress during finals week but adapting to online learning has its own set of struggles. With all of the changes, you might feel unprepared. Stress can be handled in healthy ways such as deep breathing, exercise, following study tips, asking for assistance, etc. Take small breaks and give yourself a lot of positive affirmations You can do this!

College Bound Seniors: The application procedure might look different. Participate in virtual tours of the campus, look for social media groups of current students, call the financial aid office if the coronavirus has financially impacted your family, begin the college search again if you need to (many colleges look for students over the summer), consider a delayed start to college. Here is a resource for college bound seniors: https://yourteenmag.com/coronavirus/10-tips-for-high-school-seniors.

Memories: As a senior, many of you are leaving. This is an opportunity to create some very important moments and memories with people you will not be with much anymore, your family. Instead of focusing on the disappointments of all that you are missing, spend energy making the most out of this season. Have faith in your ability to make new memories and milestones and capture this moments as its own milestone.

#HOPEisHere