How to Be Smart As a Teen

Save time to focus on your studies. Having a well-rounded life helps most people feel fulfilled, so seeking balance is ideal. Balancing your time can be difficult but it's doable. Explore your interests, hobbies, and relationships, but make sure that your social life and non-academic pursuits don't get in the way of your studies.

• Make a homework schedule to keep track of everything.

Participate in class. Speaking up might sometimes be difficult, but being an active participant in class will help you engage with the material and learn from your teachers and peers.

• Raising your hand will help you feel engaged, confident, and capable.
• It's okay if you get the wrong answers sometimes. All smart students do—it's part of the learning process—and your peers won't really care.

Get help when you need it. The students who do best are the hardworking ones—so cultivate a strong work ethic. If you can't figure out something by yourself, find someone who can help.

• Raise your hand in class to ask questions.
• Talk to your teacher or tutor outside of class.
• Ask a parent, friend, or older sibling to help you with a concept.

Get enough rest. Nobody can work to their peak performance when they're tired and burned out. Make sure you take the time out of studying and school work to get some decent sleep, and take study breaks between big bouts of focused time.

Keep your stress under control. Everyone needs an outlet from their school or work. Whatever healthy "de-stressors" you enjoy in life, make time for them. Join a sports team, do some yoga, go hiking, read a book, do some art, or watch a good movie; whatever you need to do to help combat stress, make time for it.

Develop healthy habits. It's easy to forget about your health and hygiene, but kick-starting your young adult years with good habits sets you up for a healthy future, and is overall a smart choice. Getregular exercise, eat a healthy diet, and maintain good hygiene.

Get input on your most important choices. Nobody out there has all the answers, but part of making smart choices as a teen can come down to getting input from your parents and mentors. Will they always know what to do? No. But they may have advice for you as you tackle difficult decisions, particularly if they've faced similar situations before. Be open to input from others to help you make smart choices both in your day-to-day life and in planning your future.