HELOISE: Tips help students have a good day

Dear Heloise: This is a message to all middle-school students and soon-to-be middle-school students. This is how you have a good day at school.

The first thing to do is get organized. A cluttered locker/backpack/binder leads to a tough day. I didn’t have a binder, and I was really disorganized. My backpack was full of random papers, notebooks, pencils and pens.

I got a binder and folders. One folder for homework, one for random papers I need to keep, and one for a subject for which a folder was mandatory. In the front part was a place for pencils and pens, etc.

Having an organized binder/backpack/locker isn’t the only way to have a good day at school. You need to get along with all peers and teachers.

Yes, I know this can be hard, but if you want to have someone to talk to, you need these friends. And when you need a question answered by a teacher, you don’t want to feel awkward all the time while you’re asking the question. I wish you a good time and happiness in middle school.

Kedsie C., via e-mail

Kedsie, good hints for all students, regardless of age! Thanks so much for writing in. I’d be happy to print more hints from students. Please e-mail yours to: Heloise@Heloise.com, or mail to: Heloise/School Hints, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: My son said my guest bathroom reminds him of a “bed-and-breakfast.” I bought two inexpensive plastic brochure holders at an office-supply shop. I have them holding local Floridian-attraction leaflets, and the further-away Florida sights and attractions.

I ask our guests to bring me new brochures (some even have discount coupons) if they visit a place. Relatives and friends seem to enjoy reading and/or planning their visits to these areas of interest.

Rose Crickenberger in Florida

Dear Heloise: I buy some 81/2-by-11-inch sheet protectors to put 8-by-10-inch photos in that I don’t want to put on my wall or that don’t fit in the sheets of my photo albums. I place two photos back to back and then place them in a three-ring binder. This also works for sheets of smaller photos so you don’t have them loose everywhere.

Christina Thomas, via e-mail

Dear Heloise: To keep my extended family in touch, I send out an e-mail each month listing birthdays, anniversaries and special family events for that month. I add some recent news items or greetings to each one. Other family members have used my e-mails to forward additional news to all of us as well.

Jeanette Abi-Nader in Pennsylvania

Dear Readers: An easy way to wax floors is to use a long-handled, clean paint roller to help with the job. It’s a lot easier to clean under furniture and other hard-to-reach places.

Heloise

King Features Syndicate