For most students getting out of middle school, the prospect of high school can be rather intimidating due to the increased academic demands and the social obstacles that may hinder a lot of kids from enjoying those four years.

In order to smooth that transition and help make the high school experience not just bearable but actually enjoyable, some preparation must be undertaken to help with that.

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Some may think that it’s not entirely necessary, and they may be right, but every bit of good does count in the end when everything is accounted for. It does not hurt to be a bit more diligent, and it does help to be ready for whatever may come in high school.

There are four major factors involved in properly preparing for high school, and here are some of the best ideas for each.

Studying

Of course, the biggest part of preparing for high school is learning how to study properly. You might think that this should already be established by the time you get out of middle school, but it does help to refine and reassess one’s study habits before high school, which is when academic expectations start getting ramped up.

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Being able to have a good study space with little to no distractions, ample lighting, and comfortable surroundings is a necessity. It could be anywhere in the house, whether it’s in one’s own room, in the kitchen, at the living room, or so on.

The most important factor to a good study space is to be able to focus entirely on the studying while you are there.

Once you have your study space, you must then organize everything to make sure that your studying is as seamless as possible. Perhaps put a table lamp on the side to be able to read and see everything on the table. You may also need some pens, pencils, erasers, paper, ruler, notepad, and other supplies.

Whatever it may be, make sure that you have everything you need right there once you’re about to study. Nothing is worse than missing something and have to look for it when you’re supposed to be studying.

Mental Preparation and Coming to Terms with Social Norms in High School

The key to getting through high school is positive thinking. Whether you’re worried about your studies, your extracurricular activities, or what people are saying about you, it’s best to look straight ahead and be able to see the silver lining throughout the whole time.

This is a big thing for anyone going to high school since those four years are more than just about getting good grades. If it were just about academic achievement, then we would not be talking so much about high school in the first place. For most people, their difficulties in high school are not academic but social.

It is absolutely important to maintain a healthy social life by having a group of friends you know you can trust even at the worst of times in school. This is invaluable as it can mean the difference between high school being okay and being like hell for you.

Planning for the Future

As high school is the bridge between childhood and college, that’s a good time to consider what you want to do in the future, whether you are going to college to take up a specific major or do something else. For most people at this time, they aren’t sure of what to they really want to do for the rest of their life.

It’s normal to be indecisive about one’s future during this time, and it’s important to keep your options open and explore whatever you could to understand where your true passion lies. The default options you have are to go to college and take up a degree that suits you best, as well as different courses that can help you learn the skills you may need in the future.

You may also want to look into financial assistance programs if you are planning to go to college. There are number of options available, and they get even better if you’re either a scholar or a star athlete. However you end up, it would be nice to have some help to get you through college and through your introduction to adulthood.

If you’re a parent and worried that your teen might not be ready for high school, you might also want to try this quiz from About.com.