Dear Darla,

I am a freshman in high school and I’m not very happy with my grades. I am really struggling to keep up with the rest of my friends. They all are getting A’s and B’s on their report cards while I’m getting C’s and D’s. I’m lucky if I can get a B. What should I do? How will I be able to get through the rest of high school if I think I’m falling behind now?

Thank you,
Anonymous.

Dear Anonymous,

Thank you for your question. It’s fantastic that you are feeling concerned about your grades because it shows that you genuinely care about your education! There are so many young people struggling with their grades, so you are not alone.

There could be a number of factors affecting your grades. For example, are you eating well and getting enough sleep? Is the material just too difficult?  There are ways to minimize the effect of these problems or even get rid of them altogether.

Make sure you are eating breakfast in the morning. Studies have shown that students who eat breakfast regularly perform better.  Make sure you get enough sleep. Most people say 6-8 hours is enough rest for them, but if you’re feeling sluggish throughout the day, amp it up a bit by making it a goal to get more sleep! Don’t be afraid to shoot for nine or even ten hours of sleep, as long as you have done your homework beforehand, of course! Doing your homework usually has a major impact on your grade.

But if you are finding that your class material is legitimately difficult, make sure to seek out your teacher or personal tutor for extra help. Perhaps, if you’re in honors, you should talk with your teacher and guidance counselor to see if you would be better off in a college preparatory course. Lastly, please don’t stress too much.  Stress can directly affect your health and your grades!