Avoid Hot Spots

Hot Spots include areas of construction, congestion, administrators, and pieces of school equipment that don't work. Study the layout of your school while you're still new. You'll notice certain patterns. There are main hallways that everyone likes to use, and this can create a bottleneck, always making you late for class, or lunch. Try to find your own short cuts. Avoid high traffic areas that school officials stand in to keep an eye on things. These tend to be areas where dress codes are enforced and tardy slips are handed out on a regular basis. Know which water fountains work, and which bathrooms don't. All of these will make getting around campus quickly a whole lot easier.

Invest In A Water Bottle

This seems like such a simple thing, and such an odd one at the same time. But don't brush it off. Don't fall prey to the vending machines like so many other teenagers do when they want something to drink between classes. Vending machines at most high schools are stocked with sodas and sugary “juices” that contain little more than corn syrup. Not only are they bad for you, but the energy and sugar high you get from them in the middle of the day will inevitably lead to a late afternoon crash. Buy yourself a reusable water bottle and keep it filled. Not only will this mean less sugar and caffeine during the day, but you'll also actually be allowed to drink it in class. Most teachers don't have a problem with water because if you spill it, it's easy to clean up.

Carry A Cell Phone

Yes, cellular phones are not allowed in most classes. So, I'm only going to say this once: Don't take it out in class! Carrying a cell phone is not for texting your friends under the teacher's nose or updating your twitter when class gets boring. It's for those times when your car won't start or you can't find your English paper or you want to let your parents know you're sick/you're going home with a friend/the school is on fire. Cell phones are the best way to communicate in case of an emergency, but you can only use it from the safety of a school bathroom if you don't get caught with it first. Keep the ringer turned off, and keep it out of sight.

Backpack It

I know messenger bags can be cute, as can oversized purses, and carrying your books around in your hands looks super cool. But, you are going to need a good backpack. The fact of the matter is, a good backpack will hold everything you need to take home for the night in one convenient spot. Now, if you're not someone who wants to go with the rolling luggage look, which I don't recommend anyway since most schools have stairs in them somewhere nowadays, you're probably going to want the typical over the shoulders deal. You want wide straps with a little bit of padding, adjustable straps, multiple pockets, and durable fabric. Holding your bag over one shoulder all the time or adjusting it to hang down past your hips, by the way, is really bad for your back. Adjust the straps so that the bottom of the bag rests comfortably on the small of your back. Find a sturdy enough bag, and it should last you all through school. I recommend Jansport. I used the same one for all four years, and I still have it tucked away in my closet years later, just in case I need it.

Respect Your Locker

You and your locker can have one of two kinds of relationships: the happy kind where you get exactly what you need, or the kind that makes you want to pull your hair out because nothing works. The key to this is being (at least slightly) organized. Try to put your books and notebooks in the same positions every time you return them, keep trash to a minimum, and personalize your space. There are all kinds of magnetic gadgets you can put on the inside of the door to help make the cold rectangular box your own. Two more bits of locker advice: try not to slam it shut because it wears down the lock, and never leave food in there overnight. Trust me.

Now that we've got the basics down, don't forget to come back next month for more tricks to getting through high school successfully! In Part Two, we'll cover studying, friendship, and more.