MIDDLE SCHOOL ADVICE (6th,7th, and 8th grade survival guide)2024-2025

Summary

In this back-to-school video, McKenzie offers comprehensive advice for middle schoolers, covering essentials like school supplies, academic priorities, and social dynamics. She emphasizes the importance of organization, avoiding unnecessary drama, and maintaining good relationships with teachers. McKenzie also addresses peer pressure, friendships, and the challenges of navigating middle school relationships and hygiene. Her tips aim to equip students for a successful and enjoyable school year.

Takeaways

• 📚 Start the school year with essential supplies like folders, notebooks, and pencils to stay organized.
• 🔒 Lockers may not always be useful; assess their necessity based on your school's schedule and layout.
• 🎓 Prioritize academics and avoid cheating; it's better to submit something than nothing at all to prevent grade drops.
• 🏆 Consider taking advanced or high school classes if available, as it can give you an advantage in the future.
• 👫 Make new friends and don't limit yourself to your elementary school circle; middle school is a time of personal growth.
• 🤝 Be respectful to avoid unnecessary drama; miscommunication can lead to conflicts.
• 🚫 Don't engage in social media disputes; face-to-face communication is healthier for resolving issues.
• 🚭 Maintain good hygiene; taking care of your body and appearance shows self-respect and consideration for others.
• 🩸 Prepare for puberty changes like menstruation with an emergency kit and don't be embarrassed to ask for help.
• 👗 Dress comfortably and adhere to the school's dress code to avoid unnecessary attention or disciplinary actions.
• 🏃‍♂️ Participate in sports to stay active and make friends, but don't let it interfere with your academics or well-being.

Q & A

What is the main topic of McKenzie's video?

The main topic of McKenzie's video is providing tips and advice for middle school students, covering various aspects of school life.

How many folders does McKenzie suggest getting for school supplies?

McKenzie suggests getting at least four folders, one for each core subject: math, reading, social studies, and science.

What does McKenzie recommend for taking notes in class?

McKenzie recommends having notebooks or notebook paper and mechanical pencils, as they last a long time and are cost-effective.

What is McKenzie's opinion on lockers in middle school?

McKenzie finds lockers to be mostly useless, especially since they barely have time to use them during transitions between classes.

Why does McKenzie emphasize the importance of prioritizing academics?

McKenzie emphasizes prioritizing academics because it's crucial for success in school, and it's important to balance social life with schoolwork.

What advice does McKenzie give about cheating on schoolwork?

McKenzie advises against cheating, suggesting that it's better to submit something, even if it's not perfect, rather than getting a zero.

How does McKenzie feel about making new friends in middle school?

McKenzie encourages making new friends and not limiting oneself to elementary school friends, as it's an opportunity to meet diverse people from different backgrounds.

What does McKenzie suggest doing if you get involved in drama at school?

McKenzie suggests being respectful to everyone to avoid drama, and if involved, to handle it maturely by talking it out rather than posting about it on social media.

What is McKenzie's stance on peer pressure regarding vaping, smoking, and drinking?

McKenzie advises staying away from peer pressure and activities like vaping, smoking, and drinking, especially at a young age, and recommends surrounding oneself with people who won't pressure you into such activities.

What advice does McKenzie have for middle school students regarding relationships?

McKenzie suggests that it's okay to have a boyfriend if you want to, but to be aware that most middle school relationships may not be serious, and to avoid excessive PDA.

Why is it important to maintain good hygiene according to McKenzie?

McKenzie stresses the importance of good hygiene to avoid being a contributing factor to unpleasant smells at school and to feel good about oneself.

What should students do if they need feminine products or hygiene items at school?

McKenzie recommends that students should not be afraid to ask the school nurse for any feminine products or hygiene items they may need.

How does McKenzie feel about participating in sports in middle school?

McKenzie sees sports as a great opportunity to make friends and stay in shape, but cautions against overworking oneself and letting it negatively impact academics or personal well-being.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Back to School Supplies and Academics

McKenzie introduces the video, addressing that the tips are for all middle school grades, not just sixth. She shares that she's entering ninth grade and the back-to-school season is approaching. The first topic is school supplies, emphasizing the importance of folders, notebooks, and mechanical pencils. She discusses the varying usefulness of lockers depending on the school. McKenzie stresses the importance of prioritizing academics over other activities, suggesting studying with friends or independently, depending on one's learning style, and warns against cheating, especially on tests. She advises submitting something on assignments rather than nothing to avoid zeros, and encourages taking advanced or high school classes if available.

05:01

🤝 Social Dynamics and Dealing with Drama

The second paragraph focuses on social advice for middle school, starting with making new friends beyond elementary school circles and avoiding limiting oneself to old friendships. McKenzie talks about the inevitability of outgrowing some friendships and the importance of being open to new connections. She addresses the topic of drama, advising respect towards others to prevent unnecessary conflicts. McKenzie shares her experiences with miscommunications and emphasizes not to post about conflicts on social media, recommending mature conversations instead. She also touches on the commonality of talking about others and advises not to let it affect one's actions or emotions. Peer pressure is the next topic, with McKenzie sharing her personal experience of avoiding it and advising viewers to stay away from negative influences and not to engage in activities they're uncomfortable with.

10:02

💞 Relationships, Hygiene, and Periods in Middle School

In the third paragraph, McKenzie discusses the topic of relationships in middle school, suggesting that it's okay to have a boyfriend but setting expectations that most relationships at this age are not serious. She advises against excessive PDA and emphasizes the importance of parental knowledge and consent. Hygiene is the next point, with McKenzie stressing the importance of good personal hygiene to avoid discomfort for oneself and others. She talks about the challenges of puberty, such as body odor, and the need for deodorant and regular showers. Periods are also discussed, with McKenzie advising that it's normal to have them or not have them yet, and the importance of having an emergency kit ready. She encourages not being embarrassed about periods and seeking help from teachers or nurses when needed.

🏫 Teacher Relationships, Dress Code, and Sports

The final paragraph touches on the importance of maintaining a good relationship with teachers, as it can ease the school experience and potentially lead to leniency in certain situations. McKenzie warns against disruptive behavior that could harm this relationship. She also addresses the dress code, advising to follow it to avoid constant disciplinary actions. Comfortable clothing is recommended for ease during school activities. Sports are presented as a great opportunity to make friends and stay active, with McKenzie sharing her personal experiences with various sports. She cautions against overworking oneself with multiple sports and emphasizes the importance of balancing sports with academics and personal well-being.

Keywords

💡Middle School

Middle School refers to an educational stage typically encompassing grades 6 through 8, serving as a transitional phase between elementary and high school. In the video, the theme revolves around advice for navigating this period, with the creator sharing personal experiences and tips for success, such as organizing school supplies and managing academics.

💡School Supplies

School Supplies are essential items needed for the academic year, including folders, notebooks, and writing instruments. The script emphasizes the importance of having these items, especially folders with three holes for organization and mechanical pencils for long-term use, to ensure preparedness throughout the school year.

💡Lockers

Lockers are storage spaces typically assigned to students in schools to keep their belongings. The video mentions varying experiences with lockers, with the creator's school having limited time for transitions, which can be inefficient and lead to tardiness, thus affecting the overall school experience.

💡Academics

Academics in the context of the video refers to the pursuit of educational excellence and the prioritization of schoolwork. The creator advises viewers to put school first, work hard, and avoid cheating, emphasizing the importance of integrity in the learning process and the benefits of collaboration with peers.

💡Drama

Drama in this script denotes social conflicts or issues among students. The creator discusses the inevitability of encountering drama in middle school and advises respect and maturity in handling conflicts, warning against the negative spirals that can result from disrespect and miscommunication.

💡Peer Pressure

Peer Pressure is the influence exerted by a peer group to encourage individuals to adopt certain behaviors or attitudes. The video addresses the challenges of resisting activities like vaping, smoking, and drinking, and the creator suggests staying away from negative influences and avoiding situations that could lead to succumbing to peer pressure.

💡Relationships

Relationships in the video pertain to both friendships and romantic involvements. The creator shares insights on expanding social circles beyond elementary school friends, the nature of middle school relationships, and the importance of not letting PDA (Public Displays of Affection) disrupt the school environment.

💡Hygiene

Hygiene refers to the maintenance of cleanliness and health to prevent illness and social discomfort. The script highlights the importance of personal cleanliness, such as showering, brushing teeth, and using deodorant, to maintain a pleasant presence in school and avoid contributing to unpleasant environments.

💡Periods

Periods, in the context of the video, refer to the menstrual cycles experienced by females. The creator discusses the normalcy of menstruation, advises on the preparation of an emergency kit, and encourages openness and lack of embarrassment when managing periods at school.

💡Teachers

Teachers are educational professionals who instruct and guide students. The video emphasizes the importance of fostering positive relationships with teachers, as this can lead to leniency and support in academic endeavors, contrasting with the negative consequences of disrespectful behavior.

💡Sports

Sports are physical activities engaged in for competition or recreation. The creator encourages participation in sports not only for physical fitness but also as a means to make friends across different grade levels and to build camaraderie. However, a caution is given against overworking oneself and allowing sports to interfere with academics.

Highlights

McKenzie provides tips and advice for middle school students, covering various aspects of school life.

Emphasizes the importance of school supplies, suggesting getting folders and mechanical pencils.

Advises on the use of lockers, noting they may not be useful in some schools due to limited transition time.

Stresses the importance of prioritizing academics over sports and other activities.

Recommends working with friends for mutual support and learning, but also acknowledges individual learning styles.

Warns against cheating and encourages submitting something rather than getting a zero.

Advises taking advantage of advanced or high school classes if available.

Encourages making new friends and not limiting oneself to elementary school friends.

Discusses the inevitability of drama in middle school and the importance of being respectful to avoid it.

Advises against posting about drama on social media and suggests mature communication instead.

Talks about the reality of people talking about each other and how to handle it without escalating conflicts.

Addresses peer pressure, especially regarding vaping, smoking, drinking, and fighting.

Discusses the topic of boyfriends and relationships in middle school, advising on what to expect and how to handle them.

Stresses the importance of personal hygiene and how it affects interactions with peers.

Advises on handling menstruation in school, including having an emergency kit and not being embarrassed.

Suggests having a good relationship with teachers for a smoother school experience.

Talks about the importance of following the dress code and wearing comfortable clothes.

Encourages participating in sports for fitness and social connections but warns against overworking oneself.

Concludes with a personal anecdote about the impact of sports on her academics and well-being.

Transcripts

hey y'all it's McKenzie and welcome and

welcome back to my channel so today I'm

going to be giving y'all some tips and

advice for middle school and y'all trust

and believe this is not just for sixth

graders this is for 6th 7th eth

everything in between anyways if y'all

don't know I'm going to n9th grade this

year and y'all why is back to school

season coming up so fast I start school

in exactly 3

weeks I have a whole list of stuff so if

y'all see me looking down at my laptop

that's what I'm looking at without

further Ado let's get into this video

first topic of discussion is going to be

supplies because literally that's going

to be one of the most important things

for the whole school year so the first

thing on the supplies list is folders of

course get any type that you like but I

like the ones with the three holes on

the side because if you need to you can

put it in a three- ring binder and it

just makes organization easier I would

suggest getting at least four folders

for each core subject math reading

social studies and science definitely

have notebooks or notebook paper because

y'all I don't know how many times the

teacher has asked us to pull out a sh

the paper and I got to go turn to my

friend and be like can I have a piece of

paper just have your own stuff and the

same thing goes with pencils at the

beginning of 8th grade I got a big thing

of mechanical pencils and I still

haven't ran out first of all this is the

mechanical pencils that I still have

which is a decent amount it's at least

like 15 in here that's like a 50 pack

from Target and it's not expensive at

all and yeah that had me set for the

whole school year and then as far as

lockers it varies for each school cuz I

know some middle schools don't even have

lockers but at my middle school lockers

were so useless honestly especially cuz

they barely gave us time during

transition to get stuff out of our

lockers like that's so slow to me it

doesn't even make no sense but depending

on how your school is set up you might

think that lockers are worth it if your

locker is somewhere that's not near

whatever class that you have to go to

you have to go to your locker come back

you might be late it's a waste of time

then the next category is grades SL

academics I always feel like you should

put school first like before any sports

before anything and I mean of course I

feel like you should always make time to

hang out with your friends and do

whatever else you want to do on the

weekends but sometimes you need to do

your work and if you want to spend time

with your friends sometimes y need to be

doing your work together because y'all

can really help each other and learn

stuff from each other but I mean if you

like to work independently definitely

work independently just do whatever

learning style works best for you try

your hardest not to cheat like it's

going to get hard sometimes there's

going to be some times where you don't

know the answer you might cheat you

might ask your friend honestly if you

cheat a couple times it doesn't really

matter but if you're cheating on tests

and stuff like that

like lock in but that just reminded me

of something that I wanted to say

submitting something is better than

submitting nothing y'all I promise if

you're like struggling real bad on an

assignment and you just feel like you

genuinely don't know nothing on the

paper literally Circle some answers and

hand it in cuz it will always be better

to get that 10% than to get a zero cuz

your grade will slowly start to drop and

then lastly if you have the opportunity

to definitely take advance classes or

High School classes and I remember

wanting to but I didn't do it for

seventh grade and I ended up doing it

for 8th grade which had me taking

algebra one so if your school operates

like that 100% sign up for one because

it will pay off when you go to high

school okay all we got the boring stuff

over with now it's time to get juy so

the next topic is friends and my number

one advice would be do not limit

yourself to your elementary school

friends like don't be like oh that was

my best friend in fifth grade now that's

the only person I can talk to like try

to make new friends it's going to be a

bunch of people there that you've never

seen from other elementary schools don't

limit yourself to your friends from last

year because you will be outgrowing them

some of them will be outgrowing you and

it has been a lot of friends in middle

school that I have outgrown not

physically but like mentally everybody

has their own personality and you will

really start to discover your

personality more the order that you get

and it'll also be easier to find friends

that you know fit you of course with

friends comes drama and I'm sorry y'all

if I was speaking too fast there is a

100% chance that you will get into some

drama at some point in your middle

school years like I cannot stress this

enough be respectful to everybody now

I'm not saying kiss the ground that

everybody walks on like no but be

respectful you mean mugging somebody

else can literally start a whole drama

that you will not want to get into cuz

suddenly so and so wants to fight you

and you're friends with another person

so that other person wants to fight so

and so and now their parents are getting

involved so now you're getting in

trouble and it's just a whole cycle it's

a domino effect you do not want to get

in any avoidable drama now I was not in

drama that much but there have been

people who have threatened to fight me

who have said mean things about me said

that I've done things to them and I

literally barely do anything it's

literally all miscommunication you would

be surprised and I can't stress this

enough also if you ever do get in drama

do not post about it your first response

should never be going on Instagram and

typing a paragraph of oh I hate this

like I see so many Instagram beefs of

people that I don't know like like trust

me y'all I do not want to see that I

don't care like and it's immature it's

messy like it's definitely definitely

not cute literally be mature have a

conversation with them about it if they

can't handle it just let it go and to

keep on with this whole drama topic

people are going to talk about you and

you might know you might not know

because everybody talks about everybody

you're going to talk about other people

no matter how much you deny I don't talk

mess I don't talk mess you do everybody

does and sometimes you don't even

realize that you're doing it until the

person on the receiving end's feelings

get hurt so like talk mess if you want

to it's really not that big of a deal

everybody does it but if you hear

somebody say something like out of

pocket about you don't let it get you

worked up people have said multiple

things about me that they probably

didn't even know that I knew that they

said it about me or they probably didn't

even know that I was going to take it

offensively when they said it but I did

and I still think about that sometimes

but I never said do you want to fight

you know like it's just like things like

that are going to happen in life so

you're just going to have to keep it

pushing like it's never that serious to

want to fight somebody and that leads me

to my next topic which is peer pressure

but it's going to be people vaping

smoking drinking fighting and doing

whatever else in between now when I was

in sixth seventh and eighth grade I

never really got peer pressured into

doing anything that I didn't want to do

especially because the type of people

that I hung around I know that they

wouldn't really peer pressure me and I

didn't pressure myself into fitting in

with them and hey if that's you you do

you but I would highly advise don't be

doing that especially at this age

seriously peer pressure is a deep

subject like at a younger age you think

like I'm not going to let myself do that

I'm not going to give into peer pressure

but as you get older I'm telling y'all

it's going to get harder to avoid doing

stuff like that my advice would be to

stay away from people like that don't go

to no parties like that it's okay to

have fun but if you're not trying to get

into those type of activities don't go

to those types of parties next topic is

boyfriend/ relationships in my opinion

have a boyfriend if you want to it's not

nobody else's decision but just know

that most of the time it's not going to

be a serious real relationship because I

just want you to know what to expect me

personally I never got in a relationship

but if you want to feel free just don't

be that PDA couple especially in middle

school

because when I was in seventh grade I

remember it was this one girl on who

didn't have a valentine and she was like

complaining talking about some I don't

have a valentine I'm so lonely you're 12

but yeah it's nothing wrong with not

being in a relationship and if you want

to be in a relationship go for it I just

feel like it's not a real relationship

unless your parents know about it or

unless your parents at least condone it

cuz if not y'all are just sneaking

around and being shouted

the next topic is hygiene SL periods

first of all nobody wants to come to

school to smell your stank breath or

your stank underarms so make sure that

you're taking showers brushing your

teeth putting on deodorant and doing

whatever else that you need to do like

when I was in 6 grade and people didn't

really understand their bodies like that

every single time that we used to have

PE that hallway used to be so musty like

it was not a joke you do not want to be

a contributing factor so make sure that

you have deodorant make sure that you're

taking showers if you want put on

perfume like just make sure that you

smell good you should take pride in the

way that you smell as far as periods go

some people are already going to have

their period going into Middle School

some people are going to get it in 6th

7th or eighth grade and some people

aren't even going to get it till High

School it doesn't matter you shouldn't

be embarrassed to have it or to not have

it cuz everybody is different but if you

haven't gotten it then you should

definitely bring an emergency kit you

never know what can happen I definitely

recommend an emergency kit no matter if

you've gotten it or not because once

again things happen sometimes you're not

prepared and it should not be a taboo or

embarrassing thing like it's literally

normal and with that y'all should not be

afraid to be opening your pads in the

bathroom like y'all it's literally not

embarrassing I know some girls who are

embarrassed to open their pads in the

bathroom because it's too loud no shade

towards them but trust me nobody's

judging you and if they are they need to

grow up seriously and also don't be

ashamed to ask your friends for whatever

you need even if they're not your

friends just a girl a teacher a nurse

whatever you need your nurse should have

all the products that you need for boys

and girls if you need some deodorant

don't be afraid to ask the nurse if you

need feminine stuff ask the nurse even

if you need a change of clothes the

nurse could probably help in some way

that's what they're there for and

multiple people have asked me for stuff

like that and it never hurts to help

somebody out like don't be that snobby

person who thinks somebody's gross for

asking you for help like you never know

what's going on with them okay I only

had so much written down but now I'm

just going to be going off the top of my

Dome because I don't have that many

topics written down but one thing that I

meant to touch on that I didn't say is

make sure that you have a good

relationship with your teachers really

it is important like I know kids who

joke and play around with their teacher

but I also know some kids who like to

cuss out their teachers run out of class

and I mean they have their own struggles

but school is 10 times easier if you

have a good relationship with your

teacher if they think that you're like

this nice sweet angel and then you come

turn in an assignment like a day late

they're probably just going to forgive

you and forget but if you custom out

every day don't pay attention in class

and be getting phone calls

home then that's probably just going to

warant another phone call home or a

lower grade at least anyways another

thing that I want to touch on is like

the way that you dress but all I got to

say is follow the dress code like

especially if y'all are like strict on

the dress code don't be that person who

breaks a dress code every day and gets

sent up to the office every day now if

you want to like show a little skin do a

little something to break the dress code

that's not really as big of a deal but

why are you coming to school with the

extra extra small crop top and some

booty shorts at a uniform

school like nobody has time to be going

to the office every day because they got

dress coded it's annoying and if you

have the option to I would definitely

say wear something comfortable most of

the time imagine just trying to do a

test and you keep scratching because

your sweater is so itchy nobody wants to

do that so yeah wear clothes that you

know that you're going to be comfortable

in and then this is something else that

I had written down but I forgot to touch

on it Sports there's going to be so many

sports opportunities and I feel like

it's smart to pick up a sport not only

to stay in shape but that is a number

one way to make friends especially if

you want to make friends from different

grade levels and then you already got

something in common which is the sports

off play so yeah it's just easy

friendships easy bonds whatever you do

do not overwork yourself because I've

done multiple Sports in 6th 7eventh and

eighth grade I did track 2 years I did

step one year and then I did cheer this

past year like there have definitely

been times in all three of those where

I've just been like H I hate it here I

don't like none of these people and it

wasn't nothing personal but it's like it

is going to be tiring sometimes it's

going to be hot sometimes it's going to

be cold sometimes you're going to hate

your coach sometimes but at the end of

the day it should seriously be all fun

like you chose to be in this so don't

let it ruin your life and don't let it

ruin your academics either because once

cheer season ended no shade to cheer but

my grades got so much better like and

not that they were ever bad but I used

to be like a Ab student then second

semester cheer season ended I was all

straight A's like I really got to lock

in get more sleep do all that stuff that

I needed to do but yeah y'all that's

pretty much it I hope that y'all enjoyed

this video I know I was talking about

school supplies and emergency

so hopefully I can give yall a what's in

my backpack what's my emergency kit for

this school year also yeah I wanted to

give a shout out to it's unor Jami she

sent me a very very nice message and

yeah y'all go subscribe to her but yeah

see you next time bye

[Music]