I’m Li Ying. I like to set goals for myself. I’m a “go-getter” — when I set out to do something, I do my best to achieve it.

Senior secondary school is a new start. Studying is definitely a big part of my life. I tend to set a goal for every subject at the beginning of each term. My aim is to do well in every subject this term. Biology is my favorite subject, and my target is to prepare myself for my degree in biology at university. I am always attentive in all classes and think actively, so that I can have more free time to do other things that I am interested in after school.

I like reading books of all kinds. I have a top 10 reading list and I try to keep it updated. Meanwhile, I’m an active member of my school’s long-distance running team and volunteering club. It always makes me excited to work hard and achieve a team goal together.

To achieve all I want, I must use my time well. At school, I do my homework when I have spare time. After school, I try to use any possible time to revise the things I have learnt during the day. For example, it usually takes me 20 minutes to get home by bus. I often use the time to review English words. As the popular saying goes, “Every minute counts!”

Set a goal and get ahead!

With college starting for freshmen across the country, now is the time to be thinking about money. Why? Because for many freshmen, this will really be their first time handling money on their own. 【小题1】 Here are three of the most important choices, and some amazing tips to go with them.

1. Credit is important, so use it responsibly

【小题2】 During your first few weeks on campus, you will likely be surrounded with credit card booths and seemingly friendly salespeople. Don’t be tempted to open a credit card just because they tell you it’s cool to do it. 【小题3】 Ask the salespeople to explain the fine print (附加条款) to you and look for a card with no annual fee, good rewards, and of course — a reasonable interest rate. If they tell you that the offer is only good for that day, just do yourself a favor and walk away.

2.【小题4】

My best money tip is to start now saving small and gradually increase. The easiest way to start is to save all your coins and deposit every week into a savings account with no ATM card. This seemingly insignificant amount adds up over time and starts the habit of saving.

3. Get a job, but a flexible one.

Getting a job in college is important. 【小题5】 There are many on-campus jobs out there that allow you to sit down and have limited interactions/responsibilities. Some of these include checking student IDs at a gym or cafeteria, managing a resource center.

Kyle Schwartz, a new teacher at Doull Elementary School in Denver, teaches a thirdgrade class. Most of her students come from underprivileged homes, as 92 percent are allowed to free or reduced school lunches, she said. “As a new teacher, I tried to understand my students’ real lives and how to best support them. I just felt like there was something I didn’t know about my students,” she said. To solve this problem, she asked her students to complete the sentence: “I wish my teacher knew. . . ”

While some children used the notes to jokingly complain (抱怨)about homework or to ask for more playtime, Ms. Schwartz said some of the answers were “heartbreaking”, as children showed their hard lives. One student told Ms. Schwartz that he did not have any pencils at home, while another said that they hadn’t seen their father for six years. And another student wrote, “I wish my teacher knew sometimes my homework is not signed (签字)because my mom is not around a lot.” She posted them to Twitter in March with the hashtag #I Wish My Teacher Knew #

Ms. Schwartz said that since she encouraged her students to share their secrets, students have been supporting each other more, and she hopes the method will connect students and their families with the proper things they need to live comfortably. She added that the results have been surprising, and the student that said she didn’t have anyone to play with has since been invited by classmates to join them in the school playground.