Sharon,Aged 22
The most important thing to keep in mind when going into high school is to be yourself. Besides,I don't know what your middle school was like,but high school teachers will not care about things such as how much homework you already have in one night. It's best to just learn to deal with things and manage your time wisely so you can achieve everything you need to.
Frank,Aged 21
I think almost every kid feels both nervous and excited before their first day. You will probably love it. I know I did. You should join some sports or activities that will make your high school experience more enjoyable. Good luck!
Eddie,Aged 20
When I started high school I was really nervous too,especially since I had been homeschooled all through middle school and didn't really know anyone. I suppose the best advice would be to just relax. The first couple of days can be a little bit hard,but things will become easier before you know it.
David,Aged 19
I'm not going to lie. The first day is kind of frightening. But you'll get used to it. Don't be afraid of anyone;upperclassmen will pick on you more if you let them know you're afraid. Just take it easy. Making some friends and staying with them will greatly help you get used to high school quickly. After the first week it's really not bad at all. Don't worry.
Teenagers need eight to ten hours of sleep per night. However, in adolescence (青春期) changes to the body's sleep cycle make it difficult for teens to fall asleep early. Many cannot fall asleep until 10:30 p. m. or even later and most of them will feel sleepy if they have to get up too early.
Scientists recommend that both middle and high schools begin no earlier than 8:30 a. m. Later school start times support the natural needs of teenagers and increase their sleeping time.
Here are some other benefits of later school start times:
More time for a healthy breakfast
When running late in the mornings, students are likely to go without breakfast. With an empty stomach, one finds it difficult to focus (集中) in class. When they are always in a hurry, students may form unhealthy eating habits.
With extra time before going to school, students can eat a well—balanced breakfast and focus more on learning.
Fewer behavioral (行为的) problems
Teens experience mood changes as a common result of this special period of life. Less sleep may cause worries, stress and unhappiness.
When they get enough sleep, students are calm and peaceful and their moods do not change suddenly. They're less likely to feel worried, unhappy or get angry. For parents, children with more sleep are easier to live with.
Better performance (表现) in study
Sleep loss hurts attention, memory and brain development. Students with less sleep have difficulty paying attention in class and are likely to have lower grades. Students with enough sleep can be more energetic during the day and more willing to learn. They are also less likely to fall asleep in class and more able to understand what they learn.
In conclusion, starting school later helps students get a better night's sleep. It improves their chances of eating, behaving and performing better.
Huang Yang is a native（本地人）of Zibo city in Shandong Province who works outside his hometown. He recently returned home for a visit and wanted to have some barbecue（烧烤）. But he failed to find seats in four different restaurants.
"A barbecue restaurant owner told me to come back on Monday, so as to leave the weekends to out—of—town visitors. Another restaurant owner told me that they had run out of meat. I've been eating barbecue for over 20 years and this is the first time I've heard something like that,"Huang said.
Thanks to social media recommendations, Zibo barbecue has become popular overnight. The small city was crowded with visitors on weekends for a taste of the mouth—watering dishes. Most visitors are young people, who share online their experience of traveling to Zibo to experience the city's barbecue culture, drawing even more visitors.
Behind Zibo's sudden fame（名声）are the efforts and services of the local government. To promote Zibo—style barbecue, Zibo has provided two dozen "special barbecue trains," where local officials would serve tourists themselves. Zibo's tourism officials have been promoting the city's food and attractions and sending gifts to tourists on the barbecue—themed trains.
At the city's train station, volunteers have been working at train stations to offer help. Buses are ready to take visitors from train stations straight to barbecue restaurants.
Another key to the success, according to Peng Han, director of the Center for Strategic Studies at the Ctrip Research Institute, is that before Zibo became popular on the internet, the city had developed mature（成熟的）tourism products and service standards. For example, the barbecue—themed train services, bus services, barbecue map, the youth hostels that offer discounts for college students and the strict requirements for local tourism businesses were not achieved overnight, Peng noted.
Although Zibo is still enjoying the great fame, the local government has begun to make longer—term plans.
As the home of the Shandong businessmen and having origins（源头）in the Silk Road, Zibo will work to develop its historical and cultural resources into cultural brands, noted Wang Shenghua, a senior tourism official in Zibo.
What are American high schools like? Well, I'm happy to tell you what I know.
When I started school here, it had already been a week since the school opened. At this school, freshmen usually go on a trip for about three days at the beginning of school. Unfortunately I missed that wonderful trip, which would have been the best time to get to know my classmates. I was really sad. I wished I'd known about it earlier.
Despite the disappointment, however, I gradually adapted to my new life and school. There is a space in the basement of the teaching building where students chat and meet each other. As we do not always have the same classrooms and classmates, the school wants us to get to know each other there. Students usually come to school early, sit in that space and have fun. Around the space, there are many lockers for students to leave their books in, so that students do not have to carry a heavy schoolbag everywhere.
It really surprises me that we have almost no textbooks. We only have textbooks for World History and Algebra 2 and they are big and heavy, like bricks. For other classes, we only need binders (活页夹) with paper in them. Without textbooks, students learn things freely and actively. For example, my humanities teacher just teaches us what is in her mind at the time. We never know what we will learn.
Another difference between American schools and Chinese schools is that American schools care about students' morality (道德) more than their academic studies. For example, if you do not finish your homework, you will just be asked to do it later, but if you cheat or lie, you will get a warning or even be kicked out.
I think that most students here are good at schoolwork as well, but compared to Chinese students, they can make learning a more joyful experience. I think we should take the good points from our two different kinds of education to perfect our approach to studying.
How to Handle Being the New Kid at School
Being the new kid at school can be a terrible experience!It might seem like everybody else knows exactly how to act. But remember you aren't alone. Actually,everybody is nervous on their first day and you can fit right in with the help of the following tips.
Plan ahead the night before. Lay out your first day outfit (全套服装),pack a lunch,and make sure you have all your school supplies ready to go. Planning ahead can help you get a good night's sleep and feel less nervous about your first day.
Make sure your clothes are cleaned and pressed and that you've showered,and brushed your teeth. If you're hoping to attract friends with similar interests,try wearing a shirt with your favourite show,musician,or sports team on it.
Do your best to stay calm and positive. It's normal to feel nervous or anxious when you're the new kid at school. If you feel nervous,start by taking some deep breaths. You can listen to music that makes you feel calm or happy. Try imagining a good first day in your mind instead of keeping thinking about things that could go wrong.
Don't come in on the first day with your head hanging down,your shoulders lowered,and your eyes on the floor. Walk with your head held up,your back straight,and a bright expression on your face. Make eye contact with other people,and smile if they look at you or speak to you.
A. Use your body language to show confidence.
B. Introduce yourself to your teachers and classmates.
C. Choose clothes that make you feel great.
D. This can be an easy way to start a talk and break the ice a little.
E. You should keep talking and let people know that you are friendly.
F. Remember that everyone is the new kid at some point and that it's not a big deal.
G. You'll feel less worried if everything is ready before you wake up for your first day.
One night I was sitting in my kitchen half—listening as my 15-year-old son Tommy fought with his brother Kevin. I didn't pay attention when Kevin went upstairs with a look of 1 on his face.
About 20 minutes later, as I was walking upstairs, I 2 Kevin crying in his room. I knocked on the door and asked, "Kevin, do you want to 3 ?" No 4 . I tried again. Still nothing happened. So, I took a piece of paper from a notepad and wrote, "If you don't want to talk, we can write 5 to each other. " and slipped (使滑动) it under the door.
An hour later I was still 6 on the floor outside his door with a stack of (一摞) notes in my hands. As I read one of Kevin's notes, I couldn't help crying. It said, "7 in this family loves me. I am not the youngest nor the oldest, and I am not the 8 . Tommy thinks I am too weak, and Dad wishes he had the other Kevin as a kid 9 he's better at basketball. You're 10 around to even understand me. " He was 11 about my part. Feeling sorry for him, I wrote back, "Kevin, I do love you, and you are 12 in this family. " He didn't reply for a while, but I could hear him crying softly.
Kevin 13 paper, so he wrote "Thanks. " on a paper cup. I wrote back "For what?" It was returned to me with the reply "Loving me. " written on it.
Since then, I have tried my best to 14 my family members. When one of us notices that the other is 15 , we'll smile and say, "Write it on a paper cup. "
