“We are what we repeatedly do, excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit,” according to Aristotle, ancient Greek philosopher.

     Last year, with the unconventional school days NHHS students had to face, study and work habits changed to accommodate the new climate. These may include bad habits, which are psychologically difficult to break. 

     Familiar ones may involve not doing assignments until the last minute, if at all, not studying for tests, or not being generally organized with school supplies. However, a home environment is different from school, and so if the habits do not come back easily, grades and success may waver. 

     On the flip side, virtual may have improved habits, which can be seen in the case of Senior president Erica Otte. “I have always been someone who gets really nervous over tests,” she said, later explaining that the reason for that is because they are timed.  “However,” she continues “quarantine and the test taking online have made me more comfortable with taking tests in a classroom environment, and in general.”

     Through a poll of 86 NHHS students, 16% of them agree with Otte, that virtual helped them develop better practices, whereas 84% say their habits deteriorated. 

     The ‘freshmen’ of this year, because of virtual, include 9th and 10th graders, and Otte has advice for those who are struggling on how to get started. 

     “High school, unlike middle school, has longer class periods, meaning if you’re finished class early you can finish your homework and have more time for other activities later,” she explains, “time management and doing assignments as soon as possible is a great skill to have so you not only learn more, but you have more free time too.” If there is extra time after class, either doing homework or organizing what to do later is a way to balance homework and free time. 

     Grace Shriver, Junior, gives similar advice, emphasizing the importance of time management. “If you just get things done on time and don’t wait until the last minute, you won’t have to worry about it later,” she said. Shriver also delves into the habits that are helping her succeed. “It’s really easy to get into a bad routine and not get enough sleep at night because you’re hanging out with friends or doing homework at the last minute,” she mentions, “but getting my full nights worth of sleep really helps me focus during the day and not feel as tired when I get home.”

     Other habits that enforce success include regularly taking organized notes to look back on before test day, dividing up the workload so stress is minimal, and good sleep to maintain mental strength, according to opportunity.org. The same source suggests forming a study group, which can be done before or after school. “Teaching someone is the best way to learn,” the source claims, which is done during a study session where students can quiz each other or reteach material if someone is struggling.