Dear Leo: The Lakeside Leo Advice Column

Welcome to the first Dear Leo Lakeside Advice Column article of the school year! Unfortunately, I was unable to answer every question due to the amount of responses I got, but I will answer more questions in next month's issue. Feel free to fill out this form if you have any more questions or need advice, and I’ll try to answer as many as I can! :)

How should I study for tests?

There’s not one “best way” to study for tests since everyone is different, but here are some tips I find helpful:

1) Review your notes from class! The contents of the test will most likely be covered in your notes, so make sure to read over them. Also, make sure to ask your teacher or a friend if you have any questions or parts in your notes that you might be confused about. 

2) If your test requires you to memorize facts/terms (such as memorizing words in a language class), using Quizlet is a lifesaver! If your teacher hasn’t made a Quizlet set for the test already, I would highly recommend making a Quizlet yourself! 

3) Work in a study group! Working with friends who will hold you accountable and keep you on task can make studying so much more fun and productive! You can also quiz each other, which will help you be more prepared for the real thing. 

Hope this helps!

How should I end a toxic/annoying friendship (even though they still want to be friends) without feeling like the mean person?

That seems like a really challenging situation, and I’m so sorry you’re going through this! It’s true: some friendships just don’t work out, but they might also be doing it unintentionally. Could you try nicely talking it out or confronting them about it? Try telling them how they made you feel or why you think your friendship isn’t working at the moment, and maybe you can work something out! If they keep on being toxic, however, it might be a better idea to slowly drift away from them. Try finding new friends who genuinely care about and support YOU, and it might be easier to let go of the toxic and mentally draining friendship. You got this!!

 How much should you study for tests? How do you know if you're fully prepared?

Something I’ve found really helpful is to study until you’re confident enough in the test material to be able to teach it to a friend or trusted adult! This is also really good for finding spots you might not be as sure about. Can the person you’re teaching it to successfully understand everything you just taught them? You’re probably ready! 

Remember not to stress too much on tests though! Getting enough sleep is CRUCIAL to doing well, so make sure to prioritize at least 8 hours of sleep! And remember: not doing as well on a test isn’t the end of the world! Grades don’t matter as much in middle school, so focus your energy on learning and having fun instead of worrying about your grades. Good luck!! :D

How can I get good grades?

Like I said previously, your grades in middle school don’t really matter in the long run, so don’t stress too much about it! Even so, here are some good habits to get into that might help you get a better grade:

1) Try not to procrastinate! I know it’s hard, but keep distractions like your phone away from your reach and turn notifications from apps like Discord off when you’re doing homework. Don’t forget to take breaks in between work sessions though!

2) It might seem like a bit of a hassle, but take notes in class if you’re expected to! Some classes could include math, science, history, etc. If you forget something about the lesson when doing homework, having notes to look over is super useful!

3) For writing assignments (like English essays), having a friend, teacher, or trusted adult read over your work is super helpful! I usually always have at least two friends read over a writing assignment and leave feedback before turning it in.

Thank you to everyone who submitted a response this month! 

Love, 

The Lakeside Leo (Grace) <3