Start The School Year Right

I hope you had a great summer! With the ending of summer comes the beginning of a new school year. Here are 10 thoughts to get your new year going in the right direction!

1. Get Into Rhythm

Beginning a new school year won’t be the funniest thing you will do this year. But, it will be one of the most important. Like it or not, this year will play a critical role in the next chapter of your life. Simply put: You don’t pass, you don’t move on. Take the steps now to get into a rhythm that works for you. If your day is like mine, things can get chaotic pretty fast. So, before the madness takes over each day, get into a routine that works for you. Things like getting up at the same time each day, having a good breakfast, exercising and keeping a check on how much time you spend gaming, posting, and surfing will help you develop a routine that works for you.

2. Know Your Teachers

You’ve probably heard it said, “It’s all about who you know!” Knowing the right people can benefit you, especially in school. Your teachers can be some of your biggest advocates. Introduce yourself to h/her at some point during the first week of class, especially if you have never met this teacher. Many teachers can have hundreds of students in class throughout the year, especially if you attend a large school. From your teachers point of view, it can be easy for you to get lost in a sea of faces. The ones who stand out are often the ones who stand up and get noticed. Say “hi” to your teachers in class and in the hallways each day. Make a point to make sure you are noticed. Making sure your teachers know you just might make all the difference between an A and B…or a D and a F!

3. Read The Word Everyday

Psalm 119:105 (NIV) says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” One of the greatest decisions you can make is to get into the rhythm of getting into the Word to let it light your daily path. My day gets busy really fast. So, I make it a priority to spend time reading the bible in the AM. Before I even check social media or my emails, I spend time reading the bible and praying. If you need a little help knowing how to start, our ministry has a new app, Grow On, that gets you into the Word each day using your device. Sign up and start getting God’s truths sent to you each day at the time you choose. And, best of all, it’s free! Spending time with God will be a choice you never regret.

4. Meet Someone New

I bet it really makes your day when someone says something nice to you. So, make it your goal to make someone else’s day a good one. Saying “hi” can really make the difference in the life of others, especially if that person feels as though h/she has no friends. This isn’t easy for me to do, because I’m kind of a shy person. But the more I do it, the more comfortable I feel about doing it again. And, it feels really good to love on someone else. If you make it a goal to meet someone new each week of school this school year, you have the potential to make 30-40 new friends between now and next summer. Not to mention, the potential to make 30-40 people have a really good day!

5. Be You

It is very possible that someone this school year will encourage you to do something that you don’t feel comfortable doing. You might even hear a friend say to you something such as, “Come on, it’s no big deal. Everyone’s doing it!” Giving in to such pressure may seem like the easiest thing to do in such a moment, but it definitely won’t be the right thing to do. And, it could cost you later. Make the choice now to “be you” no matter the cost.

6. Give It Your All

1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV) says, “…whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Doing enough to just get by is often the worlds way, but it’s not God’s way. God wants you to give it your best in everything you do, even the things that seem insignificant. Training yourself to approach all things in life by the challenge of this verse in 1 Corinthians will be an exercise that will prove very beneficial for you.

7. Be Jesus

Everyone with whom you attend school has this commonality: each will either go to heaven or hell. It very well could be that you will be one of the few students on your campus who take seriously your influence. As a Christ-follower, you have a responsibility to be Jesus. How you dress, how you talk, the parties you attend, the movies you watch…all of this says a lot about who you live for. Live a life that proclaims, “I am a follower of Jesus Christ!”

8. Start A Bible Study

Use your influence to start a revolution on your campus for Christ. Meet with other Christians each week to read the Word, encourage one another, and to pray for your school. You have the right to read your bible on your campus. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. Consider meeting at the flagpole before school once a week to pray. Meet at Starbucks, at a friend’s house, or during lunch once a week for bible study. Get creative and get into the Word and pray with you friends. God wants to do big stuff on your campus this year. Choose to be used by Him to impact your campus for Christ.

9. Smile

You probably know that it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile. Smiling isn’t the easiest thing to do, especially when you are having a bad day or are just plain tired. But, the more you do it, the better you feel about you, and the better you help others feel when they are around you. No one wants to consistently be around someone who is a downer. Work on being someone who is positive and up about life. Smiles are infectious!

10. Find Joy In Every Day

No one has a perfect life. But, you get to choose how you deal with life’s imperfections. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 (NIV) says, “Be joyful always…and give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” The bible says that it is God’s will that we choose to be joyful in everything. Easier said than done, I know. I often work to remind myself how blessed I am. Take time each day to remind yourself of the same. Even in the most challenging of situations, you are still a very blessed person! So, find joy in every day and bring glory to God!