The most concurring complaint among high school students remains one thing: stress!

Across all four grades, academic pressure clouds the minds of high school students, so at Tahoma High School, what can students do to be successful without the stress?

During the 2025-2026 school year, numerous THS students, whether upperclassmen or underclassmen, offer their advice on how to be successful in the next school year.

Academic Skills

Among the many life skills necessary to function as a successful adult, there exist certain skills in order to have a successful academic year. 

One THS student cautions other students of the importance of time management and commitment, along with organization to at least a ‘mediocre’ degree. 

Suhana Thakkar, a THS Freshman, finds that it is essential to “…understand what you read…” due to the fact that the skill is applicable to not only English-based classes. 

Across the board, students urge others not to procrastinate—a commonality among the various stressors high school students experience. 

Thakkar adds that students should “Avoid depending on other people in day-to-day individual schoolwork”, understanding that students can take accountability for their own mistakes, but not that of their friends. 

The teacher-student relationship is also incredibly important, as Tahoma Sophomore Temperance Fernandez explains, supporting the motion that asking for help and building said connection supports long-term academic success.

The High School Survival Kit

Thanks to an online social media survey, THS students offered their insight on supplies (besides necessities) that they recommend having during the school day. The list includes:

• Computer charger
• Colored Pens
• *Calculator
• EVERYTHING NOTEBOOK (A notebook used for scrap paper and miscellaneous material)
• Headphones (with permission from teacher for use)
• A planner you’ll USE
• Scrap paper
• Extra pencils
• Folders
• Sticky notes
• A red pen for annotations or correction
• Feminine products (for the girls)
• Gum
• Deodorant
• A little extra cash
• Extra led

THS Campus Tools

Tahoma High school, despite its great population, accommodates the large influx of students through numerous activities, assistance tools, and resources available to everyone—if used properly. 

Carly Poch, a sophomore at THS, advises students to go to Social Studies classrooms for productive study time, as “History classes usually have less people there, and it’s much quieter for lunch or work…” while asserting that avoiding the first floor for work time would be beneficial for relieving distractions. 

Numerous other students like Tahoma Junior Azyla Anthony and Tahoma Sophomore Joslin Lawrence suggest utilizing after-school tutoring and academic help, placing an emphasis on the importance of constructively using Power Hour. 

On another note, Fernandez continues to emphasize the importance of making use of THS’s computer labs, with their larger screens and quiet atmosphere for constructive work time.

What Can You Do For Your Future?

With college applications results coming out and the stress of next year looming like an unseen threat over the heads of many high schoolers, the following principles may prove beneficial in the long-run.

2026 underclassmen advise for students to be involved in extracurricular activities, such as clubs, sports, and artistic ventures.

Upper classmen, however, stress the importance of cultivating a positive learning environment.

Anthony urges students to “surround yourself with the right people” and to “…be general…” before “…narrowing it down…” in terms of future career prospects, which electives help spark.

Lawrence concurs, counseling that trying new things and thinking about both short-term and long-term goals are essential for high school success.

Other advice includes:

• Working on time management
• Managing stress
• Having fun
• Practicing good study habits
• Getting a part time job
• Participating in school activities such as working at the coffee shop, working at the student store, becoming a teacher’s assistant, etc.