Guest Author - Kristen Houghton


Hey kids! This article is for you! Are you one of the kids we see walking with backpacks and books, waiting for buses, getting a quick lunch? Are you one of the “other” kids of summer-the kids of Summer School, that is?

If you are one of the many who are attending classes in the summer instead of going to the beaches or lakes; playing tennis or baseball, going to camp or bike riding; take heart. You, and your parents, will survive.

Attempting to cram a year’s worth of learning and study into a six week course in order to get credit for a failed subject you should have passed, is not the most pleasant way to spend a summer but it can be a learning experience in more ways than one. This is a good time to learn a few lessons other than academic ones.

In order to avoid spending another summer taking a class you failed, help yourself understand the following important life lessons.

Studying is a responsibility. It is repetitive in that it must be done on a daily basis. Unless you’re blessed with a photographic memory, opening your books to review what you’ve been taught is a necessity.

Passing grades are rewards that free you to do other things. Sports, part-time jobs, clubs, time with friends are all rewards for getting passing grades. Reward yourself often.

Structure your time wisely. Don’t put off studying until you’re too tired to make any sense of what you read. Record a show for later viewing rather than put off opening a book. You will retain more of what you read if you’re not overtired.

Get enough sleep. Don’t stay up until the late hours for anything. It is not worth losing your concentration for studying the next day.

Don’t assume everything will “work out” in the future. The best future is planned in the present. If you want a free and fun summer, and no summer school to ruin it, plan for it well during the year.

Have a sense of humor. After you have berated yourself, (and your parents have yelled at you for failing or for the fact that summer school is expensive), for not having paid attention in class and not having taken your studies seriously, have a good laugh. Tell yourself that the world hasn’t ended and that next year you will make absolutely sure that your summer is your own.

Understand that you ARE NOT a failure just because you failed a subject. You were lax and could have done better but you ARE NOT a failure. You’ll pass the course this summer and the experience will be behind you. Take heart and try to enjoy the part of the day when you’re out of classes. Besides studying, you need a time to relax. Treat yourself well.

Remember: some of life’s lessons are not fun but they make a lasting impression if we’re smart enough to learn from them.

Okay? Nice writing for you! Good Luck!