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Writer's pictureEsther Low

Advice from a Senior That’s So Useless, It Just Might Work

Payton Correia, Senior, AP student, NHS member


Here are some pieces of advice from a senior that just might make each day a little more fun, productive, and add a little spice to your life!



  1. Create a playlist of your favorite movie soundtracks

Listen to it when you’re doing homework. There’s nothing that motivates you like superhero theme songs! Video game music, instrumental movie soundtracks, and classical music are meant to be in the background, and won’t detract from your focus.

  1. Don’t be afraid to take an “easier” class to give yourself a brain break.

Worst case scenario? For an hour every day, you get to do something fun that you want to do. Sometimes, you can even get homework for other classes done.

  1. Make a to-do list

You don’t actually have to check tasks off—at least, I don’t. I just use it to organize my thoughts and prioritize what I have to do.

  1. Spreadsheets are your friend!

If you have a research paper with 10 or more sources, use a spreadsheet! Color code it! Go crazy. My headers include: Title of source, date published, author, author’s credentials, summary of source, quotes, how it applies to my thesis, etc. When you have what you need, group the sources based on how similarly they apply to your thesis, and you essentially have your outline!

  1. Put your assignments in Google Drive folders.

At the beginning of the year, create a Google Drive folder for each of your classes. When you start an assignment, put it in a folder. And would you look at that! You’re organized and don’t want to cry when you open up Google Drive.

  1. When you’re baking, you don’t need to measure vanilla extract. I’m sure there’s some science-y reason why you should, but in my experience? Just pour “enough” in.

And if you’re not baking? Why not? Try this recipe for chocolate chip cookies:

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.

Mix these together:

¾ cup brown sugar

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 cup butter (a whole stick, or 2 of those half sticks)

1 tsp vanilla extract (measure with your heart, though)

Mix in 2 eggs

Mix in these ingredients:

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 ¼ cups flour

Fold in as many chocolate chips as you want (around 2 cups)

Add chopped nuts if you’re weird

Form the dough into small balls (golfball size) on a baking tray. Arrange in 4 rows of 3 so they have enough space.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.

Congrats! Now you have chocolate chip cookies!


  1. Get yourself a plant!

  2. That test you think you don’t have to study for? Yeah…

You actually need to study for it. If it’s vocab, definitions, or easily sortable concepts? Make a Quizlet! Large concepts, lots of sub definitions? Take notes in an outline format, with the big topics as your header and smaller definitions underneath it. Have practice questions? Do them! Starting is the hardest part.

  1. When you start looking for jobs, look for one that gets tips.

Coffee shops, ice cream shops, bussing, hosting pretty reliably get tips. Even a few dollars more per shift will add up, or give you some extra spending money.

  1. Do not let your doubt speak for you first.

This goes for anything from “Sorry in advance, this presentation sucks,” to “No, I won’t apply to this, there’s no way I’m good enough.” Let them form their judgements. If you give them the idea to expect less of you, they’ll go into it believing it’s worse than it really is.

  1. Give yourself permission to be bad at something

I’m a perfectionist, and I often put something off because I don’t want to fail. When in reality, that fear of failure keeps me from doing well. It’s a vicious cycle, but letting myself do badly allows me to enjoy the process and learn.

  1. Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly

Now, don’t set out to do it poorly. But a 50% is better than a 0%, and your teachers might be understanding. If you know you can’t meet a deadline, ask your teacher for an extension or help.

  1. “If I did this right now, what would improve my day?”

As yourself this when you are feeling burnt out and exhausted. Pick something that will take less than 5 minutes and do it. Will it turn around the worst day ever? No, but it might make it suck less. My list yesterday included changing my sheets, putting away my laundry, baking bread, and buying a wooden fish from the dollar store. Those small things add up and make your day just the littlest bit better.


-Which of these tips are you excited to try?-


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