How to Survive Secondary School

Whether you’re going into 1st year or 6th year there are probably a few things you need to know that will give you a helpful boost for getting through the back to school season and the entire year. Also if you are going into 5th/6th year I put together a post on ‘How to Survive the Leaving Cert’ that could also be helpful so check that out for more in-depth tips and tricks (This will be coming very soon) ! ❤

One of my most viewed posts from last year was definitely ‘How to Survive the Back to School Season’. I received a lot of positive feedback on that post and people actually found it helpful, so I said I would put together this post to share a few things I wish I knew about secondary school that applies to every year of it really.

I feel like two main things will get anyone through secondary school, those are : 1. To be kind to everyone around you and 2. Not to care about what other people think of you.

I feel like these two things are valid for any year of secondary school and if you can learn how to do them as well as learning all the school info. secondary school life will be much easier.

It is so true when people say ‘everyone around you us fighting a battle you know nothing about, so be kind’. Being in secondary school can be a bit of a weird situation because you are surrounded by people who aren’t your family for maybe half of the day. It is normal for tensions to rise and it is normal that not everyone will want to be a part of one big happy school family , but I feel like if you have respect for the people around and their property then secondary school will be much easier.
I know that not caring about what other people think about you can be one of the most difficult things to do, but I found that when I stopped concerning myself with what other people might think about me, I became a happier person. Secondary school is not all about popularity and being the most liked person in the year. It is not worth obsessing over other people’s opinion of you.
Believe me, secondary school is much easier if you try not to defy the teachers. I’m not saying that teachers are always right or that you shouldn’t stand up for what you believe in. What I’m saying is, even if you don’t like the idea of an authority figure, just go with it and do your best. There will probably always be a teacher you don’t like, but having respect and manners will go a long way and having a few teachers on your side going through secondary school is never a bad thing. Don’t burn bridges ! Make a good impression, when it comes to applying for jobs later in life you could ask the school principal for a character referene.
Participate in absolutely everything you can! You will probably begin to enjoy secondary school more when you feel part of a team belonging to that school. This could be a sports team or an academic club and you can always start learning a sport in school, immerse yourself in some extra activities and you will definitely have more fun.
Get Organised. School is so much easier when you know where everything is. There is nothing worse than losing a copy or a textbook and having to explain it to your teacher or your parent. Always keep your own belongings in your bag or in your locker, if you leave them anywhere else they will easily get lost and that is just not fun.
This might sound like the most obvious tip ever, but just do your homework and do it well. Life is so much easier when you just do your homework. Doing your homework is like your first time learning something so when you come back to study it later you will kind of already know the subject. This got me through all of the small class tests and the Junior Cert and the Leaving Cert, yes obviously I studied too but doing your homework well will really stand to you, this also show good work ethic and having a good work ethic will definitely help you later in life.
Look after one another. This is similar to point 1 , but it is so important. No one likes being alone or feeling upset, so just being there for your friends and the people in your year is super important. Be there for your friends for a chat, for a hug, for a game of ball, whatever it is. Secondary school can be difficult, so when people are nicer and are there for one another everything is easier.
You do you. Be yourself and don’t try to act like someone your not. If your friends are all wearing a certain item of clothing don’t feel the need to buy that item to blend in. Just because everyone else is wearing something, doing something or acting in a certain way doesn’t mean you have to . Having your own personality and opinions is much cooler than being like everyone else. I know that not giving in to peer pressure can be hard but if it is really something you don’t want to do be brave enough to be yourself. Also do your best not to peer pressure others, if you can see that one of your friend really doesn’t want to do something, don’t force them, because that’s not being a real friend. Also just know that when everyone is obsessed with following trends, one person had to be different from the previous trend to set the new one, so don’t be afraid to stand out and be original.