How to Have a Successful Teenage Life

Everyone wants to succeed in their life, don’t they?【小题1】 Follow the steps below, and successful teenage years will follow suit!

Do well in school.【小题2】 Strive for excellence in school; try your best, listen to the teachers, do your homework, study, and get good grades. Doing so will help you get into a better college/university, which will enable you to get a great job in the future. School sets you up on the right track!

Help out in your community. Volunteering can not only improve your community’s status, but also make you happier. Studies show that people who volunteer are less likely to develop depression and other emotional issues. Find volunteer opportunities that interest you. If you love animals, volunteer at an animal shelter.【小题3】 If you love helping the environment, plant trees or pick up litter. When you help others, it will make you feel better about yourself.

【小题4】 Remember, they’re there to help you be the best that you can be. Respect them and value their opinions, even if they annoy you sometimes. Keep in mind that they do the things they do because they care about you and want you to succeed in life. You don’t get to choose your teachers or your parents, but you still have to put up with them.

Figure out your goals in life and work toward them.【小题5】 Start thinking about careers you would like to be in, but make a good choice based on your interests and strengths. This could be your job for the rest of your life! You could also work towards non-career-related goals, such as creating your own fundraiser, getting grades in school, joining a team sport, etc. Challenge yourself and you will be surprised at what you can accomplish!

Nowadays in real life, many people have all kinds of bad habits, but getting rid of them takes a bit more effort. Whether they’re “traditional (like biting your nails, snacking on junk food, gossiping, or twirling your hair) or more hi-tech (like texting), bad habits all have one thing in common: They’re hard to break. You can do it, though.

So if you’re ready, gather your willpower, follow these steps, and wave goodbye to that bad habit forever!

Step 1 【小题1】

Make a note every time you engage in your habit. Write down the time and where you are, as well as how you’re feeling. Are you bored, angry, or sad? The more you understand the reason behind your habit, the more control you’ll have over it.

Step 2 Pay attention to when your bad habit pops up.

Do you see any patterns in your journal? Do you always bite your nails before a test? Are you more likely to eat junk food, like chips or candy, when you’re doing your homework? If you notice a pattern of your habit, 【小题2】 For example, if you bite your nails when you’re stressed, try to find other ways to calm yourself, like taking slow, deep breaths.

Step 3 Replace your bad habit with a good.

Instead of biting your nails or twirling your hair, keep your fingers busy drawing or knitting. If gossip is your problem, challenge yourself to say nice things about people. Each time you substitute your new activity for your old one, 【小题3】

Step 4 Stay focused.

Write down a promise to yourself: “I will stop biting my nails” or “I will stop texting so much”. Make a list of the days of the week, and place a gold star next to each day that you don’t engage in your habit. If you can’t get through a whole day at first, 【小题4】 Before you know it, you’ll have a whole page of gold stars!

Step 5 Keep at it.

Maybe you’ve heard the expression “Old habits die hard”? Well, it’s true! It usually takes three weeks to a month to break a bad habit. So if you mess up one day, don’t give up! 【小题5】 Eventually you’ll have more successes than failures.

Remember, if you put your mind to it, you can do anything—even break that bad, bad habit!

Your first year of high school is here, but you don't know what you'll do! So you'll feel nervous about it.【小题1】Here are some ideas that can help you.

Make a lot of friends.【小题2】They'll help you when you are in need of them. So, from the countless (数不清的) faces you see every day, find those who can be your true friends. Once you have them, you must defend (保卫) your friendships. However, don't ignore those who you've met but don't know well.

Don't break school rules. For example, don't be late for class or don't make noise in class.【小题3】This is because fighting is not only bad for you physically but also bad for you mentally. Getting into fights all the time could result in getting into trouble. It might even go on your permanent (永远的) record.

【小题4】 If you forget something in class, it will disturb both the teachers' teaching and the learning of other kids. You should have all of your supplies in your backpack, not at home or in your locker. You can make a mental (心理的) list of everything you need to have when you leave classroom so that you won't forget anything next school day.

Last but not least, you must improve your learning techniques.【小题5】 Go over class notes once a week and finish your homework in time. Especially, it is better to form the habit of asking your teachers or classmates for help when you have problems with your study. All these ways will help you study better！

By using the above ideas, you'll have a wonderful high school life！