One of the hardest parts of a teenager's life is going to school every day. There are a ton of various pieces of "school" that a student dreads: waking up early, getting swamped with work, and only being able to eat lunch for thirty minutes. Yes, a lot of adults go through this every day as well for work. But teenagers also experience peer pressure, stress about what they want to do with their lives, and pressure from their parents to succeed.

Have Your Voice Heard: Become an Odyssey Creator

Let's face it: high school is never going to be easy for anyone. However, I've learned that it doesn't have to be as difficult as we make it. So without further ado, welcome to the school survival guide:

1. Don't Procrastinate

This is probably the issue I struggle with the most when it comes to school. Procrastination is easy to fall into, especially when you're stressed. Try to plan things out ahead of time, and set your own personal due dates to avoid leaving work unfinished til the last minute.

2. Take DETAILED Notes

Okay so no one likes taking notes, but to tell the truth they can save your grades. Jotting down a few sentences of information or falling asleep during a lecture is not going to help on a fifty question test. Make sure that you have every piece of information that you need to know, and try to keep your notes organized because you're more likely to remember something when it is neatly organized. You could even color-code them to make them easier to study. Do whatever works best for you, but don't assume that a few sentences from a lecture will help you on future assignments.

3. Stay Away from Drama

Every high school has drama in it; there is no way to avoid every conflict that comes about. However, people can choose whether they want to be involved in it or not. The best thing to do is steer clear. Getting in the middle of an issue is extremely stressful and will distract you from your tasks. Think before you get involved in a scandal, because once you're in, you can't get out.

4. Ask for Help

It's hard to set aside your pride and admit that you can't do something on your own, but sometimes it's necessary. You can't teach yourself everything; there are things you will never understand without asking for assistance (for example: calculus... ew). Never be afraid to go to a teacher for help. You won't look stupid; after all, it is their job to teach you.

5. Stay Organized

Studying is nowhere near fun, especially when your notes are scattered messily across the page. Even just a cluttered desk space makes it harder to concentrate on the work you're doing or the notes you're studying. Keeping your work space and notebook neat and free of clutter decreases distractions and helps you stay focused on the task at hand.

High school will never be easy, but we can make it more bearable. Staying organized, focused, punctual and getting the help you need will ease some of the stress that it brings. Don't get frustrated and give up on high school; try your best and before you know it, you'll be done.