The good news is that you only get one first day of school. You wake up in a sweat, alarm clock shrieking in the background. You panic, thinking that you’re late. In fact, you are – after three months of hitting the snooze button on a loop, it’s difficult to rise and shine. Then you rush downstairs, gobble up breakfast, rush upstairs for the school bag and then run to make it to the bus stage on time.

But you’ll get used to it. After the first couple of difficult mornings, you will get in gear and accept the morning routine. After one week, summer holidays are just a distant memory and you’re already doing a mental countdown for the mid-term holidays.

The bad news is, well, it’s the same as the good news: you only get one first day of school. And that means you only have one chance to make a good first impression on your new teachers.

Because, let’s admit it, first impressions do count. If you’re late to your first lesson, talk during class and interrupt the other students, and grumble loudly when assignments are handed out, you’re on your way to being top of the list in your new teachers’ bad books. And it will take a lot of hard work to upgrade to their good books – a bad impression only takes a few minutes to register, but long hours to overcome.

So it’s best to start on the right foot.

Because you’re happy

On the first day of the new scholastic year, teachers will be on the lookout for troublemakers – this will help them identify potential problems and manage the class well for the rest of the term.

The best way to make a good impression on your new teachers as well as classmates is to walk into your classroom with a smile. By smiling, you’re telling your fellow students that you want to be friends, and your teachers that you’re looking forward to a new scholastic year.

Smiling is just one element of good manners. Make sure that you are polite all the time – raise your hand when you want to ask a question, don’t text or doodle, don’t interrupt, always be punctual and use those magic words: please, thank you, excuse me and you’re welcome. Being polite pays.

Show interest

There’s no escaping it – unless you get chucked out and sent to the head’s office, you’re stuck in class for the rest of the day. So you might as well use your time productively. The advantage is that when you’re busy, time goes by quicker.

Showing interest in what your teacher and classmates are saying is an indicator that you’re a good listener. Moreover, by actively participating, you show that you’re willing to learn and to take on the challenge of a new scholastic year.

Be prepared

There are students who, unlike good scouts, are never prepared. They forget to do their homework, constantly misplace the key to their locker, which holds their sports kit, and conveniently fail to tell their parents about school events.

Let’s be honest – teachers don’t appreciate such behaviour. So on your first day of school, make sure that you have all your stuff with you – being prepared with the right books and anything from notebooks to pens and notes from your parents will show your teachers that you’re an eager student.

Lead the field

Use your first day of school as a showcase for your talents – and no, throwing a paper aeroplane isn’t a talent. Sign up for any extracurricular activities that you think you will be good at, participate in games and be willing to help students who might be experiencing difficulties in settling in a new class.

Teachers particularly appreciate leadership. Now there is a very fine line between coming across all bossy and showcasing your natural leadership skills – while the first is just a way of ignoring your classmates, the second shows unity of purpose and an aptitude for listening to everyone.

Deliver

The first day of school might sound like a honeymoon period. It’s not because teachers will lay down the rules from the very first day. Moreover, they will be very clear in explaining what they expect from all students. Your job is to understand correctly, follow directions and deliver.

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