“Studying Advice” from Caroline Acuff (‘24)

The most important part of studying is not memorization, but rather practice and actual understanding of the concepts. Think about it, actually understanding how to multiply any number by two is much more efficient than memorizing an entire times table that can be easily forgotten. There are many different ways to make sure you can understand a concept in any class. 

1. Pay attention to what the teacher has you doing in class, and take notes on it! (Practice problems, group discussion, interacting with a particular primary or secondary source, etc.).
2. Review any homework and in-class assignments that were given during the unit. Especially practice problems regarding concepts that have come up frequently in class or that you struggle with. 
3. If the test/quiz contains a lot of vocabulary, apply them to tangible context and use mnemonic devices. For example, if you are trying to remember the difference between the terms mean and median in a math class, you can substitute the word ‘average’ for ‘mean’ when doing practice problems. You can also use a mnemonic device such as remembering that the median is the middle of a set of numbers. 
4. If you are still struggling with a concept, go in to talk to your teacher! I know it can be daunting, but their job is to be there for you and support you in your studying. Every teacher would much rather you admit that you do not understand a concept and try to learn it as opposed to revealing your lack of understanding on the test. 

“How to Talk to a Teacher” from Caroline Acuff (‘24)

Your teachers at Benet will be some of your greatest resources as you adventure through your high school career. Every teacher here wants to see you succeed, and will do what they can to help you reach that success. 

Do not be afraid to reach out! Check your master class charts and see what times your teachers are available that work best for you. If none of their meeting times work for you, or walking in blindly seems particularly daunting, email is always a great resource! Write an email greeting your teacher, asking for help, resources on what you are struggling with, or a scheduled time to get more help, and sign your name at the end. It is often much less intimidating to meet with someone at a predetermined time than to make it spontaneous. 

Remember, every teacher wants to see you succeed and no teacher will ever be annoyed at you for wanting to succeed.

“Note taking” from Kiki Sobkowiak (‘25)

The most important part of note taking is making sure your notes make sense to you! In general, you should take notes in a way that most benefits you and uses your time wisely. However, there are a few tricks to make note taking a little more manageable. 

1. Don’t write every word!!! Scan, write important info only, and avoid articles for time’s sake 
2. Color code your notes! For example, do headings in black, dates in red, and other info in blue.  This helps information jump off the page and stick in your mind!
3. Go through your notes more than once!!! Take them during class, read them a day later, and maybe go through them a third time with a highlighter. Happy note taking redwings!

“Meeting New People” from Brian Pipal (‘24)

Moving from grammar school to high school is a big shift, and can sometimes feel really daunting. I came from a middle school where I was the only incoming Benet freshman, but I soon found that everyone was looking to start fresh and meet new people. Here are a few things I learned.

Try to get involved! I know the beginning of the year may seem really hectic, but if a club interests you, it interests a ton of like-minded people also. This could be through athletics, big clubs such as Student Government, SALT and Benet Buddies, or smaller clubs where you find interest in. Be open to talking to new people! The effort of starting a conversation can go a long way. Lastly, as cliche as it may sound, be yourself. You have certain qualities that make you unique and friendly to others. Remember to stay true to yourself, and find the people who respect you and appreciate you as a person. I hope you keep an open mind about the people you connect with these next few years, because you never know who will come into your life!

“Time Management” from Maddie McGarry (‘26)

Being a student athlete, or even just a student at Benet, can be difficult. With “Five Test Fridays”, it is sometimes a struggle figuring out how to balance homework, extra curriculars, and studying. Even though we all love our time on TikTok, hanging out with friends, and playing sports, deep down everyone knows school is the number one priority at this point in our lives. On days off of school and after-school activities, it really pays off to work ahead. Working ahead creates an easier day moving forward through the week so that on a day when you have tons of homework you don’t have to do that one Spanish assignment. Using your study halls effectively is also a great time to complete some homework due the next day. Although taking a little break from our schoolwork in the midst of a stressful day sounds great, what sounds even better is getting home and not being completely overwhelmed with the 4 hours worth of homework we have to do. I know all of us have heard it first from our parents, but what do you want to have: the bragging rights to say you binge watched an entire season of Outer Banks in one night or a zero on that 100 point English essay that was assigned 3 weeks ago but you forgot to start?