It’s amazing. It’s terrifying.

It’s high school.

How do I deal with the homework, the projects, and – most dreaded of all – the tests? Should I stay up late at night to study? What do I do if I need help? Thankfully, the veterans of Westwood know all about surviving high school, and they’re willing to share their secrets with you.

One of the earliest challenges you’ll have to deal with in high school is homework, and the best way to deal with it is to do it early. Procrastinating can lead to poor grades and increased stress.

“Do your homework the night it’s assigned,” Cuisa Jauregul ‘16 said.

Another piece of advice is to get to know your teachers well, so that you can get the best help from them when it really counts.

“Teachers are more willing to give help-and better help-if you are the one who engages [them] proactively,” Camden Lemond ‘16 said.

The teachers themselves also approve of this tactic.

“Don’t hide from your teacher if you’re not doing well. If your grade is low, don’t take it personally, talk to your teacher about it,” said Westwood Chemistry Teacher Nicole White.

Projects and other assignments that take place over several days may seem like something that can be forgotten and done on the last day. But these assignments are usually due several days later because they take several days to complete, and it’s better to break the assignment down over several days rather than trying to do the assignment all at once. Teachers can tell the difference between work done properly and a rush job.

“I can tell [when a project or lab has been rushed] because the errors are not logical errors; they’re huge errors showing that the student doesn’t understand the assignment,” Ms.White said. “The skills that you do in your homework and projects are tested in quizzes and tests. If you don’t do your homework and learn chemistry, when I assess you, you won’t be able to do it.”

You won’t be able to do any of this, however, if you stay up too long and burn yourself out. One of the most important things you need to do in high school if you want to pass your classes is get enough sleep. Without sleep, your brain won’t be able to fully preserve memories and things you’ve learned, and you won’t have the energy to pay attention in class.

“Lack of sleep hurts the cognitive process in many ways,” Web MD’s article 10 Surprising Effects of Lack of Sleep says. “If you don’t get enough sleep, you won’t be able to remember what you learned and experienced during the day.”

There’s even a study saying that lack of sleep has a similar effect to substance abuse!

“Sleep problems have about the same impact on grade point average (GPA) as binge drinking and marijuana use,” states the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Everyone knows that one kid who zones out during class or plants their face onto their desk. Don’t be that person! Remember to get at least seven hours of sleep each night so you can stay awake and alert during the day.

“All-nighters are so bad! It’s more important to get enough sleep than to study,” Shay Bailey ‘16 said.

In short, do your homework as early as possible, break down projects over several days, and remember to get plenty of sleep. High school is a daunting experience, and there’s a lot that students have to deal with, but just follow these tips and you’re already a step ahead in the fight to survive high school.