Making the switch from elementary to middle school can be hectic; you may think you have it down, but just in case you find yourself forgetting your schedule or arriving late to class, here are some helpful suggestions for “surviving” middle school.

Tip #1: Lockers

While lockers are helpful for storing your belongings, they can be a pain to open. If this is the case, you may want to practice opening your lock ahead of time so you don’t end up locking yourself out of your own locker.

Tip #2: Making New Friends

Another major difference of elementary and middle school is the amount of students roaming the halls. On average, the elementary schools that feed into Canyon Vista (Laurel Mountain, Spicewood and Caraway) have approximately 750 students.  According to the Round Rock Independent School District, this year, 1,301 students are enrolled at Canyon Vista. That means there are a lot of new friends to be made, that comes with lots of fun experiences. With that being said, keep an open mind when trying to expand your circle of companions. You never know who might become a lifelong friend.

Tip #3: Study Time

Learning might not always be enjoyable for you, but it’s the most important part of school. So why not spend a little extra time going over that last math question you don’t quite understand, or reread that chapter if you don’t think you were able to take everything in. Education is the focus of school and in the end, you’ll be glad you did. I promise the video games and social media can wait.

Tip #4: Getting to Class on Time

Starting the third week of school, if you aren’t in class by the time the bell rings, you are in fact late. Unlike the movies, you can’t spend the entire school day hanging out by your locker or catching up with your friends. So in order to get to your next class on time, try to save the discussions for lunch or after school. It’ll help you get to class a whole lot faster and keep you out of trouble.

While movies and books make middle school seem hard and sometimes even impossible to get through, I promise you’ll make it. And hopefully these few tips will make a big difference on how you tackle this school year. Let’s make it a fun, spirit-filled school year, Mustangs!