[dropcap]I[/dropcap]f you are reading this, chances are you are in your last and final year of high school. After three years of hard work, fun and difficult all-nighters, the final and most important year of high school has just begun. With exams, tests, graduation, university and college applications, it can all start to get a little bit overwhelming. If you want this to be the best year of your high school career, here are a few helpful tips to make the most of your senior year!

•  WORK HARD

Work hard! Work hard! Work hard! I’m sure you’ve all heard it, but this is the year where grades matter the most. Set goals and work hard to reach them! Whether it has to do with getting a scholarship or getting an A on your next test, work hard and work effectively to accomplish the goals you’ve set out for yourself.  Make sure you don’t catch a little case of senioritis – you’re still in school, so try not to slack off too much. Try not to throw yourself into an endless spiral of worrying – grades are important, but not to the point where they’re consuming your life.

•  STRIKE A BALANCE

Too much of anything is never good, so it’s important to strike a balance in your life. It is important to learn how to manage your social and academic life with your personal life and to enjoy everything in moderation. Organize yourself; make a schedule and maybe even allocate some time every day to yourself for your social life. Do what works for you. Leading a balanced lifestyle is bound to reap more success!

• GIVE BACK

Often we can get caught up with the business of our lives, but volunteering and giving back to the community helps us all remain grounded.  We all should want to do something meaningful considering it’s our last year in high school. Volunteering could be a great opportunity to do something worthwhile. This could range from hosting a large-scale charity event to even tutoring a younger student. Not only would we be giving back to the community but, as individuals, it’ll allow us to get out of our own bubble and have the opportunity to meet new people and make a difference at the same time.

Hopefully these few tips gave you a little insight on how to make the most of your senior year. Remember to enjoy your last months of high school.