As a freshman, the biggest difference moving from middle school to high school was the bell schedule. Instead of eight 45 minute classes every day, students only go to four classes every day. The catch? Each one is 90 minutes long.

At first thought, I was pretty excited (like any naive freshman) about going to half the amount of classes every day. But then, as the schoolwork and homework started to pile up, it didn’t seem so great anymore. I started to realize that high school was so much more than I thought it would be.

Because each class is an hour and a half long, material is covered intensively and often times, students are expected to know it by the next class. Homework is given out more boldly with the thought that students have two days to do it. However, a lot of students procrastinate and postpone the day’s homework until the night before it’s due. With that choice, people are caught in an endless cycle of stress to complete homework. The solution is simple: do as much homework as possible the day that you get it.

Obviously, there are exceptions. If there’s a test or quiz the next day, plan accordingly. Try to do the majority of your homework then study. If it’s a Thursday and you have a test on Friday, study for the test. You’ll have the entire weekend to finish Thursday’s homework.

On top of that, many students have multiple extracurriculars and have to manage those activities as well as maintain their academics and that often causes a lot of stress for some students. In these cases, just remember why you’re involved in athletics, fine arts, or clubs. If it’s something you genuinely enjoy, the hard work should be worth it.

And for some, preparing for standardized tests also consumes their time. Those scores determine whether you can be accepted into your dream college. Study time required varies based on the student, but if you know you’re someone who can’t cram last minute, start preparation early. Join an SAT or ACT prep class on the weekends.

While students often do have complaints about the block schedule, the intensity of it depends on course requests. When you choose to take Pre-AP and AP classes, you are choosing to be responsible for extra work. If that’s not something that sounds ideal or if you know you don’t have the time or work ethic to invest in it, nobody’s forcing you to take advanced classes.

And perhaps most importantly, students’ phones can be a major distraction. Instead of having your phone right next to you while you do your homework, leave it in a different room. You’ll be less likely to get off track by a notification.

All in all, although I can’t change the block schedule, I do have words of advice for incoming freshmen. Establish healthy study habits and pay attention during school. There may have been room to slack off in middle school, but there won’t be any of that in high school. You can’t afford to procrastinate.