I remember my very first day of high school, and all the preparation that went into organising my brand new school bag. I was convinced that I needed a solution to every problem, an item for every scenario and practically packed my entire life into my backpack!

Looking back, I realise how much of a mistake that was, and how carrying an unnecessary 10 kilos on my shoulders created one big mess.

Now in year 9, I still carry a backpack (since I’m not all too interested in handbags and tote bags), and have gotten the real hang of packing the necessities, as well as some extras just in case!

I’ll be honest with you. As a kid, I never enjoyed reading. Rather, I saw it as a chore.

I always thought it was boring, a punishment from my teachers and purely a waste of time. (Sorry to have a go at all the bookworms out there😬!)

While I am definitely no bookworm now, I’ve finally found an area of reading that appeals to me.

With so many advancements in technology during the 21st century, children now are born into an age of learning, adaptation, and media.

As teenagers, we go to school each day, inching towards the future and planning our lives as adults and independent beings. We use phones, social media and technology to make up large aspects of our everyday lifestyles.

When it comes to academic and life success, motivation and staying motivation is undoubtedly the most important thing to remember.

While high school often makes it difficult to stay both focused and motivated, with the large piles of homework and coursework to finish in such short amounts of time, it certainly is possible!

High school is hard. Full stop. And I completely get it. I mean damn, I’m not even halfway there and I already find myself questioning my motivation sometimes.

But while high school often sucks, and can get really difficult and confusing at times, there are a few things that may help change that.

Being a teen in the 21st century is really weird, to say the least. While today, I stand tall (quite literally!) As a 14 year old girl in Year 9 of high school, I remember and often reminisce about times before life became so complicated.

In today’s blog post, I’m going to be talking about a bunch of random things that I’ve learned from being a teenager!

Many of these tips have shaped me for the rest of my life and have helped me become the person I am today.

Ever felt like there wasn’t enough hours in the day to get everything done? Let me tell you, I can relate!

Time management seems to be an issue almost everyone faces as they struggle to fit everything into their daily lives. So many things to do in so little time! It’s a struggle we all face.

Now, while we only have, and only ever will have, 24 hours a day, these problems that we endure aren't due to a lack of time, but due to a misuse of time.

Students are often the most common victims of stress. Factors such as family problems, friendships, relationships, school work, assignments and social media are just some of the many stressors that students experience.

In the age of social media and technology, the world has seen a dramatic increase in mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD and other disorders often characterised by stress.

For most people, this time of year is one of the most stressful times, as it’s filled with heaps of assignments, work, and exams.

With half a year's work needing to be crammed and memorised purely for a hour-long test, it can be really overwhelming for many students.

With exams nearby, I wanted to write a post discussing tips for preparing for, and sitting exams and tests.

So, if you want to survive exam week and go out of it with straight A’s, keep reading!

While reading just isn’t for everyone, It is such a great skill to have in high school and in life!

Reading teaches you so many literary skills, and boosts your creativity and writing in so many ways! And with so many aspects of school surrounding reading and writing, there is purely no harm in giving it another try!

Hopefully these tips are useful and will help you become the bookworm you're destined to be!

Do you ever feel like the days are flying by? That, even though we all have the same 24 hour day, you’re getting nothing done?

You ask yourself…

Where did the day go?

Did I get anything done?

What did I do all day?

If you feel like this regularly, I can completely relate! You may be falling into one, or many of the following time wasting habits.

It’s Saturday night and the clock is ticking. As the minute hand makes its way closer and closer to the 12am deadline, you work furiously in an attempt to get your assignment done.

“Why did I leave it to the last minute?!” You exclaim, “How did this happen!?”

Does this sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone!

Learning in general can be pretty hard. But what if you’re doing it the wrong way? This post is all about learning styles, and finding the right one for YOU so you can learn the RIGHT way! Keep Reading!

As humans, we all experience stress. Whether it’s about your hair for a party or studying for an exam, we all, especially teenagers, experience it. Stress is our automatic reaction to a situation where we feel threatened or anxious. But how do we deal with stress? Though it’s an easy question, many struggle to answer it.

At times, high school can be stressful, overwhelming and seemingly unbearable! Trying to find a balance between school, home and social life can be a real struggle to overcome. Whether you recently started highschool or are in your final year, the key to fitting in, getting good grades and being happy may still be a mystery to you. So…

Good habits are the basis for a successful life. As we transition to high school, we carry all of our habits in our back pocket. Everything we learn from our entire school life, the good, bad and ugly, are waiting to be used in any given moment. But is this enough to get through high school with success? According to the statistics, it isn’t.