Many students often complain about not having “good grades” but they never change their habits. They often blame their teachers or the grading system on their bad grades. But it is not their fault, the change has to start with you. Do these seven things and you are golden, in the grades sense.

1. Do your homework. If you are a poor test taker homework can help boost your grades. Homework is often worth around 15% of your grade. Homework also reinforces what you are learning in class. If you do your homework you will have a better understanding of what you are learning in class. This will help you for when you have to take tests.

2. Study. Many people consider studying to be a waste of time. Studying is necessary if you want to be successful on your tests and quizzes. Trust me you will always receive a better score if you go over the material before you take the test or quiz. Studying is worth the time and effort.

3. Stay organized. The goal of staying organized is that you know where everything is. Do whatever you can to keep yourself neat. When you are neat you can spend more time focusing on your grades rather than looking for your materials.

4. Take notes. Your teacher has notes for a reason. I know it is irritating to copy them down but it is worth it. Looking over your notes is a great way to study. Also writing down information helps your brain to process the information.

5. Check your grades on portal at least once a week. Being active on your portal will help you strive to do better. Being able to access your grades and your assignments online will show you where you need to work harder and where you are succeeding. Teachers can make mistakes. It is a good idea to check what grades have been put into portal and make sure that you are getting credit for all the assignments you have done.

6. Have a good attitude at school. If you dread showing up to school everyday you won’t have the motivation to work hard. I’m not saying you have to love school but have a positive attitude from the second you walk through the door.

7. Remind yourself what the purpose of school is. We often forget why school is so important. High school is important because the grades you get in high school determine what college you go to and it prepares you for college in general. High school is the first step in the building blocks of becoming an adult. Remind yourself that all of this hard work will eventually pay off in the future.