Brilliant Life Hacks for High School Seniors

The life of a high school senior is filled with excitement, anxiety, hard work, and slacking off. There is an appropriate time for all of these things, but you have to learn to be efficient if you want to fit them all in your schedule. These life hacks for high school seniors will help you make the most of your time, get you motivated, and prepare you for the future.

Start Everything Early

I was a huge procrastinator throughout my entire learning career, but that actually worked for me because I perform better when I'm under pressure. For most people, though, the anxiety of doing a task at the last minute often interferes with their ability to complete the task and do it well.

If you're someone who likes to take their time, start your high school assignments and your college prep early. There's a difference between putting something off because you know you can handle it later and putting something off just because you don't want to do it. Get tough tasks out of the way so you can move on and enjoy the rest of your senior year with your friends.

Organize by Color

One of the most annoying problems a student can have is bringing the wrong book to school. No teacher or future college professor will accept that as a legitimate excuse for being unprepared for class. One way to prevent yourself from mixing up your books is to organize your school stuff by color. Trust me when I say that this is one of the best life hacks for high school seniors because I used it myself.

When you're tired from studying (or partying) the night before, you might not be thinking or even seeing clearly in the morning. The same goes for if you're in a hurry. Instead of having to take the time and brain power to read in the morning (ew), assign each book its own color. Making color associations is much easier and less time consuming than having to sift through all of your textbooks and notebooks that look exactly the same.

Reward Yourself

Rewarding yourself for good behavior is a big part of keeping sane in both your senior year of high school and throughout your college life. In fact, it is probably one of the most important life hacks for high school seniors.

Studying is usually very boring—but it doesn't have to be. You'll be in a better mood and feel more motivated when you're studying if you grant yourself a reward for every topic or section you complete. For example, every time you finish a chapter, take little break or allow yourself some candy. It will keep your mind fresh and your spirits up.

Use a Blocker App

If you have an incredibly short attention span, you need to get yourself a blocker app ASAP. Using a blocker app will lock you out of your favorite social media sites for the amount of time you need to study or write your essay. When you can't trust your own will power, trust in the app!

Surround Yourself with Positivity

This isn't just one of the best life hacks for high school seniors; it's one of the best life hacks, period. Criminal Minds has been one of my favorite shows for years, and the character of Penelope Garcia taught me the value of surrounding yourself with things that make you happy.

Right now, you probably hate your desk because that's where the homework and the studying happens. However, if you decorate your desk with figurines, a funny mug, or even a ridiculous pink, glittery feather pen (yes, I had one), then doing your work will be a lot more fun and engaging. You'll be more motivated to get your work done because you'll actually want to be at your desk.

Make Friends with Your Academic Advisor

As we just mentioned, school hacks and life hacks can often be one in the same. Making friends with your academic advisor is the high school version of learning to network as an adult.

At the beginning of your senior year of high school, drop in on your academic advisor to:

1. Let them know you exist, and
2. Start talking about your desires and goals

You don't have to do anything concrete immediately—just have a conversation. Not only will this help you outline your plans in your own mind, but it will help you establish a relationship with the person who will be aiding you in the college application process. Pro tip: You always want to make friends with someone who could influence your future.

Teach to Learn

One of the first things you learn when you start your high school career is if you can't explain a concept to someone, then you don't fully understand it yourself. You might be rolling your eyes right now, but this is truly one of the best life hacks for high school seniors you can have in your arsenal.

If you're having a tough time mastering a certain subject or if you want to prepare for an oral presentation, teach the topic to someone else. It could be your mom, it could be your stuffed animals—whoever it is, make sure you are able to explain the subject clearly to them. This will especially help you if your exam includes open-ended questions or essay prompts.

Slack Off Occasionally

People use the term "senioritis" to describe the take-it-easy attitude seniors adopt when they're close to graduating, and it usually has a negative connotation. However, letting yourself have free time to hang out with friends is just as important as studying.

A lot of students—and parents—make the mistake of making senior year all about college prep. While college prep is necessary, a high school senior should also make time to slack off and hang out with friends. Having a robust social life makes for a great school life overall. It's kind of a harsh reality to accept, but you won't be seeing some of these people much after this, or ever again. You don't want to leave high school wishing you'd done things differently.

Don't Front

When high school seniors go to write their college essays, they often feel pressured to make themselves sound like someone they're not; someone they think the college admin will like. They think that this tactic is one of the better life hacks for high school seniors. In reality, this is an absolute no-no.

First of all, college admins don't want to take someone who is trying too hard or someone who seems like they're faking. Yes, top colleges want well-rounded, over-achievers, but they also want someone who is genuine.

You also need to take your best interest into account. If you try to make yourself sound larger-than-life on your application essay, you won't end up getting into the college that would be best for your skills. If you're great at creative writing but suck at math, find a way to own that. Don't front and say you love something you don't. Tell your own story and tell it truthfully.

Save Your Grad Money

When you finally graduate high school, there is a good chance you'll receive gifts, and an even better chance that those gifts will be money. Go ahead and spend some of it on a present for yourself, but make sure you save most of it for college! The same goes for if you work a summer job.

Believe me, if there's one place you're going to blow your money, it's college. Whether you're spending money on your education or on your newest party outfit, the bottom line is you're going to be spending money. Prepare for the money pit that is college life.

Hopefully these life hacks for high school seniors will help you have the best year you possibly can. Good luck!