Took 9th Grade Online Schooling around the time Covid was becoming hell. Graduated and wished I did more on the side and didn't figure out about alot of this stuff a bit late. Here is some of my advice and personal advice if your considering Online Education so that you get it better than me.
-Do everything in your life using your default app Calendar on your Phone for Time Management. (Especially if you have a part time job on the side) Don't even bother getting other phone apps unless its better than the calendar app or one the job provides.
-Get a fucking HOTSPOT and your own mobile WIFI to use your laptop outside or outside the house in nature or ask your parents to add that to their service plan pay for it if you have to and if you can't just forget about online education and just stick to public education. Believe me the socialization is better than staying around at home.
-PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH: Get Text to Speech Extensions on your Browser, Google, whatever so that you can just mouse highlight course text and listen to it instead of staring at a screen that tires out your damn eyes and head! Shit gives you insomnia I'm not joking! (please please please DO REGULAR EYE EXCERISE LEFT RIGHT UP DOWN around and around)
-Blue Light Protection Glasses (Test out any kind and do your research)
-If you have a phone gaming app addiction delete all of the apps you currently have and get apps that pay you for playing them and using the p2w options that pay for your college. Or use the new apps to slowly phase out the other ones and eventually you'll give up the addiction.
-If you do Part time or full time work at a young age even night shifts please for the love of god email your HR and keep spam emailing them about insurance opportunities and other benefits the position is supposed to provide. Ask your parents or guardians as much questions as possible. As a student you never know if you'll end up switching to On Call for academic reasons and start missing out.
-If your online schooling even regular in person schooling works too for this has a student council or student organization of any kind email the teachers or whoever the hell is running your school student operation and ask for minor deputy vice jobs or lower jobs (OR ASK FOR A LIST OF COUNCIL JOBS WITH A DESCRIPTION try to make up job positions too FOR THEM and ask council members IF its possible and serves a purpose) but term it in a way that doesn't make you sound lazy or stupid try to apply with knowledge that makes you useful and you actually have the skills for it (don't embarrass yourself but try to apply for it anyways show them your schedule to convince them) ((NOW if you can't ITS LIKELY THOSE MINOR JOBS ARE HIDDEN AS "VOLUNTEERING" ask for a list of volunteering jobs))
-Figure out how todo your own taxes so you can use gig apps and websites which pay more than local. (Warning though agency work often can be tiring depending upon how you handle work so stick with local as a high schooler)
-Prepare for ACT and SAT on your own and do your research for both free website resources and balanced tutoring alternatives (Even if its Private Education there's a chance they won't help a lot in that area) Also there's plenty of ACT prep and SAT prep apps that aren't those crappy college board apps that you have to relog into all the time (pain in the ass apps don't waste your time on them just use college board's websites)
-Do CLEP Exams as soon as possible + Look up Vouchers for CLEP tests (believe me this will save your ass and a lot of freed up time for College or at least the first few years and beyond as well)
LIST of ACT, SAT, CNA, ACCUPLACER, CLEP resources:
- -Uniontestprep (Literally everything and for free)
- -ModernStates (CLEP Classes to complete for Vouchers)
- -Prepmedians (ACT, SAT)
- -(if your a nursing student) Look up local jobs that provide free CNA training and certification and that they pay for. The online hybrid programs are goated.
- APPS I recommend:
- -Magoosh and OR Magoosh Flashcard apps
- -ACT Prep App with Prepia American College Testing (May cost you a subscription but worth it)
- -CNA Prep Apps BLS/CPR prep apps
- Blurt Study Methods (Look up on Youtube) ((Studyfetch, Anki, Gizmo))
- Video to Text ai to review what you say
- Youtube Channel free Resources and look up the stuff for your home state (laws may be different per place but anyways nursing assistant Q&A recordings helped a lot for me)
-Look up Merit Scholarships and literally every other form of Scholarship as soon as damn possible if your GPA is good. There is even scholarships for middle and elementary. Look up Plan 529 accounts which are college plan accounts that save your ass on the FAFSA for your kids and DO NOT BE AFRAID to tell your parents or siblings at least.
-If your not much of a sports person do as much random local volunteering as you physically can and reach out to volunteering organizations of any kind that fits your ambitions and RECORD EVERYTHING. You can use all of that for your resume and your scholarship website descriptions.
-Look up Email/Letter Scholarship Methods (This will save your ass you got to kiss ass to survive college)
-I know there's some people who think those High School Honor clubs or societies are useless but if you have the time for it as it STILL makes your resume look good and a lot of those societies have automatic scholarships you get just by being there kind of the same as scholarship applications for fraternities at colleges.
-Use a cheap flatscreen tv for your room (I used a Emerson) that you can connect to your laptop using a HDMI cords (ABOVE THE LAPTOP AREA AND DESK AND AVOID PUTTING IT IN FRONT OF THE BED THATS TOO DISTRACTING) ((also makes you look responsible in front of your parents if you ask them to format it that way)) todo regular lifting exercise. (EXTREMELY HELPFUL especially if your a introvert that's owns your own weights and wants to avoid just going to the gym OR if your a person who wants to avoid slouching while lifting or multitasking with schoolwork)
-Please study outside in the damn Sun using your laptop its better than just prescription vitamins from Walmart (Touch Grass) Even get crappy weights for outdoors or some cheap outdoors table and chair to use outside to distract yourself. (Solar Chargers something I also highly recommend)
-Get nice cheaper decent Fat Tire Bikes Online and constantly look up Facebook marketplace drive hours to snatch one if you have to etc to save up on Gas in the Winter if your job is nearby + AVOID E BIKES FOR COLLEGE (NO CAPES!) ((Incredibles reference)) breaks down too much and most colleges have strict rules for them lastly the fixes are too expensive and they don't last long.
-DO NOT SKIP OUT ON YOUR GRADUATION CEREMONY as a ONLINER!!! + Unnecessary time waste + burdens your school to send the diploma even if they have the option available (just pay to fly out or drive to your damn school and get it over with enjoy your time YOUR TEACHERS AND COUNSELOR WRITE YOUR RECOMMENDATION LETTERS SO BE NICE AND LOOK GOOD ESPECIALLY ON ZOOM or VIDEO CLASSES WITH OTHER STUDENTS.) What's seen and recorded on the internet stays on the internet.
(Other unrelated advice for the future)
-DO NOT get BIG cheap Temu stuff for college dorms (Fridges Microwaves). State Rules often exclude the ones that don't have the UL, ETL, or CSA safety labeling on the back on them.
