My name is Lauren Siwek and I’m a junior at Cooper City High School in Florida. My school is very academically focused. Most of the students strive to be at the top of their class. When students around you excel, it pushes you to do the same, which is why my mom transferred me to Cooper City High my sophomore year.

During my freshman year, I went to another school which I loved, but unfortunately it wasn’t the right school for me. I got caught up in being social and meeting so many new people; I didn’t focus enough on my schoolwork. I didn’t really think much about my future at that point; it seemed like a million years away. I blew off a lot of my work and never kept myself up-to-date with grades. I didn’t have the drive or comprehension of how significant it is to do well, even though I was told how important it was.

It was when I went to Cooper City High that my entire mind set changed. I realized that by having a low grade point average I was reducing my future opportunities, including college admission, scholarships and more. I continued taking honors classes knowing I was capable of the work. I also took Spanish again to replace an F which I received during my freshman year.

During my sophomore year, I was mainly focused on bringing my grades up. When junior year rolled around, I wanted to get more involved in joining clubs. I joined Key Club (a community service club), Environmental Club, and Adventurers Club (an outdoor activity club). I have a lot of fun participating in these groups and I’ve met a lot of people, which is nice considering I didn’t know anyone when I first transferred. I am currently considering an opportunity which I now have because of how much I’ve improved. It’s called Early Admission; I can be admitted early into college and take dual-enrollment classes, completing both my senior year and my first year of college in one.

Although I’m very involved now, I had a rocky start when I first got to high school. I got distracted by a new environment and made the poor choice of pushing my academics to the side. I’ve changed my ways since freshman year, and I am now focusing on excelling in school to brighten my future. I plan to go to college after high school, but there are preparations that I need to take to reach my goals. One I’m focusing on now is taking the ACT.

Some of my friends took the ACT without even knowing what it is. The ACT is an assessment that measures what you learn in school. So if you do well in school, you should do well on the test. You should still review because algebra, geometry, and trigonometry are on the ACT. It’s a good idea to take the test for college admission, college placement, and scholarships. Never cram before the test; it puts more pressure on you than necessary. Don’t worry about what you don’t know and be confident in what you do know. You can take the test multiple times, so if you didn’t do so well the first time, don’t sweat it, you can always take it again. If you did better the first time, don’t worry, you can submit your best scores. There are prep courses available as well.

With drive and persistence, you’d be surprised what you can accomplish. Although I ended my freshman year with a 1.9 grade point average, it is now a solid 3.5. You have to prioritize, know what you want, and commit to it. There are many things you can do to reach what you want to achieve. You just have to want it; self-motivation is everything.

Organization is very important; I’d be lost without my agenda. If you don’t take notes about when assignments, tests, and quizzes are scheduled it makes it difficult to keep up with what needs to be done in all your classes. Write down your assignments, homework, and tests so when you get home you can complete each task and take time to study for upcoming tests. It’s very important to be on top of your work. Plus, when you break things down into parts instead of keeping all the information in your head, it becomes less overwhelming and stressful.

Always know what your grades are. In Florida we have something called Pinnacle, which provides timely student performance information where students can fully view their academic progress. I look at Pinnacle daily. I see all the work and grades I received on each assignment. I can also view missing assignments that I know I have to make up. I never used to look at my grades. If I had, maybe they wouldn’t have been so bad. When you view your grades every day, it helps you set goals. If you see your grades go down, it motivates you to take the extra time when doing assignments or studying for a test because you want to see your grades improve.

Getting ahead of the game was how I improved my grades a lot. If you know what chapters are coming up next and you have a couple of free hours, take the time and read ahead, become more familiar with the topic so when it comes time to learn it, it’ll be easier to understand. Don’t wait until the last minute. Having to cram adds stress and that’s the last thing that you want. When you’re on schedule or ahead of schedule, you’re more at ease.

Prioritize! Prioritize! Prioritize! School has to come first. It’s easy to blow off homework when you get a call from a friend asking you to check out a new movie you’ve been dying to see. Some days I come home and go straight to the books until dinner, eat, and go back to work. My friends nag at me all the time for not answering their calls, but I know if I pick up the phone we’d be talking for hours. Don’t slack off; do what you have to do first and do what you want to do later. If you’re not getting something in class, don’t be afraid to ask, your teachers are there to teach you. You can always talk to your teacher after class as well if you need to.

I’m looking forward to blogging for ACT. I hope that readers can relate to me and be inspired to achieve their full potential.