1. Manage phone use
Phones can be a useful tool, however, social apps like TikTok are designed to grab the precious attention crucial to succeeding in school. While it doesn’t hurt in small doses, many struggle to get off these apps. Success starts with letting go of constant swipes.

“[Avoiding TikTok] helps me not focus on social necessities and the cringiness of others,” sophomore Evelyn Flannigan said.

2. Get enough sleep

With jobs and extracurriculars, finding time for sufficient sleep can be hard but the brain relies on sleep for good performance. Sleep also helps the brain sort information, which is important for studying and learning. Eight to nine hours of sleep is a good goal for students.

“[Sleep is important] so that you can focus and actually get your work done and do it well,” junior Kaili Melton said.

3. Learn, don’t cram

While sitting in a classroom for several hours can be difficult, it’s important to take advantage of class and learning. One would be surprised at how much they remember long-term when they focus instead of trying to cram everything in right before exam-day.

“When you cram, you really don’t latch on to any of the material…you’re still able to pass the tests but whenever you have to do it on the final you’re struggling to remember it,” sophomore Oliver Bosanquet said.

4. Prioritize

All of the different clubs and opportunities FHN provides is exciting but balancing learning, extracurriculars and health is important. Joining clubs is good for the experience and resumes, but too many clubs and obligations can cause overwhelming stress and eventual burn out.

“If you have clubs almost every day that might be a pushing point,” sophomore Nayana Kartha said.

5. Make it sparkle

It’s likely that maintaining a clean space is not on many people’s top 10 things to do with their time, however studies have proven it to help a student’s mental health and performance. Having a clean environment reduces stress levels and improves motivation.

“If everything was dirty I would just not be very motivated to do anything,” senior Michelle Gonzalez said.