Are You Dreading September?

By Michele Brannon Hamilton

September! It’s time to get new books and new clothes. Some people find September exciting, but for some reason you don’t feel so great about it. So what can you do? How can you make this year better than the last one?

• Get a head start on homework and review last year’s work. You may have forgotten some things over the summer, and refreshing yourself on what you once knew may help you in the first few weeks of school. Take out your old books and give them the once over. Make a list of any problem areas, and this way you’ll be prepared to pay even more attention when these subject areas come up during class.
• Meet someone new on the first day. Don’t hide—look around.  The chances are that you’ll see someone looking lost. Help them, and you just might make a friend for life.
• Stand up for yourself. Speak to a counselor or a friend if you’re being bullied. Stop bullying before it starts. You’re important. Don’t let anyone make you feel otherwise.
• Speak to your teachers. Tell them if you’re struggling and ask for extra help. Don’t just ask for extra credit!  Don’t hide or deny an academic weakness.  Address it and you’ll give yourself enough time to succeed in a difficult class.  Find a tutor or search the Internet for online help.
• Get a part time job if you need extra money for books and trips. Don’t always expect your parents to buy everything you “need.”  Working too much during school is not always good though.  Tutoring or babysitting jobs will give you extra money and an opportunity to use your time for school/study, too!
• Talk to someone about your feelings. Turn to a church member, a counselor or a relative if you just don’t feel right. You may be suffering from depression. Don’t worry. You’re perfectly normal. You just need some help.
• Believe in yourself. Take positive action. You can make this a better year by starting now. Tell yourself things will be different and they probably will.

Embrace September. Don’t let the beginning of the school year get you down. Think of it as a chance to start over. Keep a positive attitude and this just might be your best year ever!  Good luck!

Resources:

http://www.kidshelpphone.ca This Canadian site offers help.

http://www.kidshelp.com.au This Australian website offers 24 hour help.

www.bullying.org This is a website with information about bullying.

http://www.nobully.org.nz  This New Zealand site offers information about bullying.

http://math.about.com This site is all about math.