Five Habits for Your Best School Year Ever

By Dr. Toby A. Travis, Head of School

Now that the school year is in full swing; want to have your best school year ever?

Interestingly, the habits that may make the greatest difference have surprisingly little to do with how many hours of homework you complete, how many advanced-level courses you take, or how packed your schedule becomes.

Instead, consider five remarkably simple habits.

1. Eat Together

Try to eat one meal together as a family each day. Put the phones away. Turn off the television. Talk.

Ask, “What was the best part of your day?” “What was difficult?” “What did you learn?” And talk about what is happening in your community and around the world.

A landmark University of Michigan study found that family mealtime was associated with fewer behavioral problems in children. Subsequent research has repeatedly linked frequent family meals to positive outcomes, ranging from stronger family relationships and well-being to academic success.

Perhaps the magic isn't actually in the meatloaf. It is in connection, conversation, and belonging.

2. Practice Gratitude

Every day, identify something for which you are grateful, and say it out loud.

Psychologists famously studied people who intentionally recorded things for which they were thankful. Those focusing on their blessings demonstrated greater well-being, particularly increased positive emotions.

Grateful people aren't grateful because everything in their lives is perfect. They become happier, in part, because they have trained themselves to recognize the good that is already present.

For Christians, gratitude goes even deeper. It is recognizing the Giver behind the gifts.

3. Stay Hydrated

Keep the morning coffee. I certainly wouldn't suggest anything radical.

But add the water.

Research has found that adequate hydration can support attention, working memory, and cognitive performance.

Your brain and body work better when properly hydrated. So carry the water bottle. Refill it. Drink it. Apparently, simply owning an expensive water bottle does not provide the same benefit.

4. Keep Moving

Make room every day to move.

Walk. Run. Lift weights. Ride a bike. Play a sport. Take the dog around the neighborhood. Twenty minutes is better than zero; for school-age children and adolescents, the goal should move toward about 60 minutes of physical activity each day.

CDC data show an association between regular physical activity and stronger academic performance among students.

Movement helps the body, clears the mind, reduces stress, and gives our technology-saturated brains an important reset.

5. Stay in the Word

Finally, and most importantly, spend time every day in conversation with God and in His Word.

But as you read Scripture, remember an important principle of biblical interpretation:

A text without a context is a pretext.

Before asking, “What does this verse mean to me?” first ask:

Who was the original audience? What was happening in their world? What did the author intend those original hearers to understand?

The Bible was not originally written to us, but it has been preserved and compiled for us. Understanding its original context helps us hear its message faithfully.

And then ask one of the most transformational questions you can bring to Scripture:

“Lord, what does this teach me about You?”

So, what might produce your best school year ever?

Eat together. Be grateful. Drink water. Keep moving. Stay in the Word.

None is complicated. None requires an advanced degree. And none needs to be perfect.

But practiced consistently, these five habits can help us become healthier students, healthier families, and healthier followers of Christ, and that sounds like a pretty good way to begin a great school year.