Now that midterms and 2nd quarter are finally over, it is time for the second semester to begin! Here are some tips and tricks to start the next semester off right:

1. Get excited! Second semester has started, which means there is only half of the school year left.  Make list of goals  for the new semester, maybe you want to focus on studying more, or getting or improving your grade in a certain class. Second semester will fly by, especially for seniors, so it is important to stay on track and not lose motivation.Take some time to relax and breathe after the stress of midterms, and then get ready finish the school year strong. “Relaxing after midterms is great, I’m getting a spray tan to de-stress myself,” says Jackson Amirshahi, a junior.
2. Get organized. Going through your binders, folders, and notebooks to get rid of old and unneeded papers is a great way to declutter your space, and to stay organized for the next half of the school year. Going through your things and clearing out anything unnecessary can help to give your binders more room for second semester’s papers. Be careful to not throw out anything important, and to check with your teachers about whether or not to keep certain things. “Clearing out old papers and worksheets out of my binders always helps to lessen my backpack load, which is great because my backpack is always heavy,” says Jasmine Patel, a senior.
3. Don’t get lazy. It can be easy to want to slack off and not want to put in as much effort into school now that the first half is over, especially for seniors who have already made their college decisions. But don’t forget that there is still half of a school year left, and plenty of time to mess up your grades by slacking off. “It is definitely important to stay on top of studying and to make sure you do your homework, homework can easily bring down a grade,” says Asia Patterson, a junior.