Learning something new every day has many benefits. Rather than filling your brain with information all at once, try taking it slow.

Find your interests. Don’t think of increasing your knowledge as a big task. Keep it fun by considering what you would want to learn new information about. 【小题1】 You may also get distracted (分心的) and lose motivation during your learning time.

【小题2】 If you find it difficult to learn new information, take some time to think about what learning style works best for you. To determine your preferred way of learning, try a few different methods and see which one keeps you learning for the longest period of time without getting distracted.

Use available (可得到的) resources. A few accessible ways to get new information are to set aside some time daily to read books, listen to a podcast, or watch YouTube videos on your topic of interest.     【小题3】 As you unlock them, you can see which one you use regularly. You can listen to podcasts while driving and learn Spanish while working out.

Try multitasking (多任务化). The time you set aside to exercise or do washing doesn’t have to take the place of learning something new. 【小题4】 You can listen to a podcast while you fold clothes or watch an online video while you’re getting ready for bed. This can almost make your brain think it is doing something fun.

Turn to your connections. 【小题5】 They are also a valuable resource when it comes to learning new information. This can be as simple as asking your friends what books they’ve read lately or if they’ve recently watched an interesting documentary.

After hearing “I wish I’d known this when I was in Senior 1!” countless times by the end of the school year, my senior 3 class decided to leave behind some real advice for newcomers in senior high. 【小题1】 .

Get a planner

If I didn’t have a planner, 【小题2】 . I had a hard copy planner, and writing down my homework and activities helped me to stay organised. I could see everything I needed to do. I think it also makes a good impression when you’re talking to people and you pull out a planner. — Samantha

【小题3】

Be realistic about your future decisions. If you want to head to a top college, you need to start thinking and working for that immediately. And while that includes getting good grades, it’s not just about grades. You also have to take leadership positions because at last, that’s what makes you stand out. — Alondra

Work hard

When I was in junior high, a friend from senior high school told me I must concentrate on study and work hard from the minute I entered senior high. 【小题4】 .So many of my friends fell behind the first year because it was so different from junior high school. But I was ready because I got that advice, and I worked hard from day one. So listen to me, and you’ll be all set. — Edi

Be present

My advice for newcomers is to be present and live in the moment. Before you know it, high school’s over, and you can’t go back. There are no do-overs. 【小题5】 . — Riad

Should Schoolchildren Have Jobs?

When you were in school, the last thing you probably wanted to do was spend your weekends going to work. There was homework to do, sports to play and fun to have. But our parents probably persuaded us to find a job to earn some money and get some life experience. When I was a teenager I had a paper round. I then progressed to a Saturday job in a supermarket.

Today in the UK children are allowed to take part-time jobs from the age of 13. It’s one of those things that is seen almost as a rite of passage（成人仪式）. It’s a taste of independence. Teenagers agree that it teaches valuable lessons about working with adults and also about managing your money.

Some research has shown that not taking on a Saturday or holiday jab could be harmful to a person later on. According to a 2017 study in the UK, employers’ organizations believed that not participating in part-time work at school age caused young adults to be ill-prepared for full-time employment. But despite this, recent numbers have shown that the number of schoolchildren in the UK with a part-time job has fallen by a fifth in the past five years.

So, does this mean that British teenagers are now more afraid of hard work? Probably not. Some experts think that young people feel going out to work will affect their performance at school, and they are under more pressure now to study hard and get good exam results—and a good job in the long term. However, Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, told BBC News that “Properly controlled part-time work is a good way of helping young people learn skills that they will need in their working lives.” In reality, it’s all about getting the right balance between doing part-time work and having enough time to study and rest.

Many young people actually want to work because it gives them a sense of freedom. One 13-year-old girl, who has a Saturday job in a shop, told the BBC that “I enjoy my job because I’m earning money and it helps my confidence speaking to people and socializing with people.” Did you do a part-time job when you were at school?