Sally's E- Portfolio

    Alright, so we've all had the experience of walking into class on the first day of school and not knowing what to expect. I hope you all agree with me that it sucks. I mean, you have no idea if you're going to like your teachers, or whether your classes are going to make or break your year. If you're heading into 8th grade, well that's the final stretch before high school. Good luck buddy, you're going to need it....Just kidding! Believe it or not, I'm here to help you survive your 8th grade year at AdVENTURE. Now, I could go on and on about every single class that I've had this year and complain, I mean talk about what went down, but I'm going to stick to the things that apply to every single class, because one, you don't have to remember all the little tips and tricks for each individual class, and second, it's less work for me! Alright, I'm going to get started now. Hopefully this helps make 8th grade at AdVENTURE. Now, should things go wrong, you never heard this from me. 

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   I've been at this program for four years now, and I can say that so  much has happened since I came to this program. The people I've met and the things that I've done really made my AdVENTURE experience. Along with that,  I've learned a lot about how to get through those tough projects and assignments with as little stress as possible. Now, for me being me, I tend to worry a lot about the work that I do and making sure that it is showing my best work, and I definitely wished I had a resource that gave tips about how to survive AdVENTURE.  So, down below are a few tips and advice on how to get through 8th grade at AdVENTURE.

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1. Actually show up to class: 

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   I can already see the look on your face. You're already thinking about how ridiculous this is, but trust me on this one. You know, unlike elementary school, where if you're absent, nothing really happens, the moment you miss one day of school at AdVENTURE, everything happens. Now, maybe I'm just an unlucky person, but if I was ever absent for even two class periods, when I came back, some important project was introduced or a study guide for a quiz was given out. Now, if you're deathly ill, don't come to school, that's not smart, we don't want you dying. But, if it's something like a runny nose or a cough, suck it up and come to school. You'll live. The thing about 8th grade, especially for me, is there's so many things going on at the same time and it can be extremely easy to fall behind and that's not something you want to happen. For the most part, teachers will understand if you have something important going on and you can't make it to school, but if you don't want to fall behind and have to make up work, show up to school as much as possible. And don't even think about trying the skip and ditch. That's not going to get you anywhere, and you know better. 

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2. Don't procrastinate...EVER:

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   Let me introduce the trap that every student, and yes, including me, falls under: Procrastination. Don't lie, I know you've done it a few times in your life as well. At times, it seems okay, like maybe you'll go play this one video game and get back to your homework assignments later, but it you procrastinate once, you'll definitely do it more often. I know that you're in the 8th grade and it's the final stretch before high school, so it's alright to slack off a little, but I recommend getting all your work done early so you have more free time.  Speaking from my personal experience at AdVENTURE, some teachers kind of promote procrastination by continuously changing due dates so that you have more time. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing because if I as working on a very difficult project, the extra time allowed me to get everything done on time. However, I felt like not every single due date should have been continuously extended weeks and weeks in, especially if it was a simple essay or document. In a way, it just gave me the thinking that the due dates were going to keep being extended, so slacking off wasn't a big deal. Learn from me and don't procrastinate. It makes your life a while lot easier. 

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3. Every teacher is different, so don't expect the same treatment:

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   You probably already know this, but the teachers that you get are not going to be the exact same. They all have different personalities, and different ways of teaching. With that being said, don't expect every teacher to be the same. Some teachers may be more lenient, while others are more strict. They have their own rules and expectations. So don't expect your math teacher to act the same as your English teacher, they're two different people! It may sound silly to you, but I think it's helpful to have that knowledge that something that you were able to get away with in one class may get you into trouble in another class. If you really want to avoid all sorts of trouble, don't be annoying or disruptive. Follow the directions. And most importantly, bring your best effort. 

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   Well, hopefully you found at least one of this tips helpful. I know that they're very simple things, but they can make all of a difference.  This year especially has one of the hardest, yet simplest years out of all the years I've been at AdVENTURE. I'm not going to lie, there is definitely a lot of work to do, and at times, I wasn't sure if  I could complete what was needed to be done on time. But, as more time passes, I've realized that all those difficult, time-sensitive tasks helped me grow to be a more efficient student. When I think about it, school itself is pretty simple; you go to class, learn, do projects, and take tests and quizzes to get a grade. However, the experience that you have  while at school is what determines if it's easy or not.

 

   With that being said, the hardest part of this year for me has been group projects. Believe me, I really like working in groups because it gives me a chance to collaborate with others, however, I didn't really think that the system of assigned groups were very efficient this year. And I only say this because every time I was working in an assigned group, no one else in my team would put in much effort, leaving me to complete a majority of the tasks. Hopefully this doesn't happen to you, and if it does, just do your best to work through it, and know that it'll work out in the end. As for teachers, they're all different in their own ways, but at the end of the day, they just want to  help you succeed. I do wish that the teachers took more into consideration of the students' ideas for project ideas, but like I said before, it all works out in the end. Someone once told me that sometimes you have to do the 'hard carry' in life, but in the end, it will make you stronger as a student and person, and that is something that I've come to believe. If I can do it, you certainly can too. Good luck on your 8th grade year, I believe that you'll be just fine.