5 Tips for a Successful School Year

August 26, 2017
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It’s that time of year again. Students all around have stocked up on notebooks and highlighters and headed back to school. Whether you’re back at the same high school or off to college, here are five tips for having a successful school year.


1 - Develop a positive self-image.

It doesn’t matter what your past choices have been – the things you’ve done or not done, the mistakes you’ve made or the opportunities you’ve missed. Today, right now, you have positive qualities to celebrate. Are you good in math? a good listener? helpful? kind to animals? a great story-teller? great with a power tool? a good singer or artist? an excellent organizer?


Everyone has talents or interests or natural gifts that set them apart from the crowd. Find yours and rock it! It’s ok to feel good about the things you’re good at.


2 - See the positive.

Even on the worst day, there’s something to be grateful for. But our tendency is to downplay all the good things that happen in the day and focus on the one thing that went wrong. Flip that habit. Instead, take a moment during the day to think of three things you can be thankful for – three things that went right. Research shows that positive thoughts help you see more possibilities in your life and increase your skills and resources.


3 - Talk to your parents.

We know, we know – this doesn’t seem like very cool advice. But having a healthy relationship with your parents will help you have healthier relationships with other people and will help you do better in school. So even if the conversations seem a bit forced or awkward, talk to them. Tell them about your day – about that tough test in algebra or the kid who gets all up in your business at the lunch table, about the way your roommate snores or about the professor who spends the entire class talking about his dog. And when you have a decision to make, ask your parents for advice. You may be surprised that they faced a similar choice when they were your age. Finally, do stuff with your parents – clean the kitchen together, binge-watch a Netflix show together or play a game together. Sometimes doing things together can take the pressure off thinking of what to say.


4 - Set healthy boundaries.

Pay attention to your gut, especially to when you’re uncomfortable in situations. This might be the friend you think is using you for answers to the math homework or the roommate who brings their significant other into your room for a sleepover or your own boyfriend or girlfriend who’s pressuring you for sex or telling you who you can be friends with. When you feel uncomfortable, speak up and assert yourself. Decide what your personal boundaries are and let others know where your comfort level line is.


5 - Live your values.

Living your values means deciding what is important to you and living your life accordingly. It means speaking up to say, “I stand for this” or “This is what I’m all about,” and then following it up with your actions. You don’t have to wait until you’re settled into your adult life to live your values. Let your values impact the things you choose to do or not do right now.


Here at Collage, we’re cheering you on as you start a brand-new school year. We hope it’s filled with successes and healthy relationships. We also know that sometimes, life isn’t as easy as 5 tips for success. In those moments, we’re here for you. If you find yourself struggling with life choices or bumpy relationships, a member of our team is available to sit down and listen and help you work through it. Just give us a call at any office or shoot us an email.

September 30, 2026
If you took the first abortion pill, it’s possible to start wishing you hadn’t. The regret may have hit you immediately, or it might have taken a few hours to realize that you want to continue the pregnancy. Either way, there may still be something you can do: abortion pill reversal (APR) may be an option. The first drug used in the abortion pill regimen is usually mifepristone. If you have taken mifepristone but now want to continue your pregnancy, call the Abortion Pill Reversal Network at 1-877-558-0333 right away. Their Helpline is available 24/7 and can connect you with a medical provider who can administer APR. If You Have Only Taken the First Pill Mifepristone works by blocking progesterone. Progesterone helps maintain the lining of the uterus during pregnancy. When this hormone is blocked, the uterine lining thins, and the pregnancy ends. The second drug in the abortion pill regimen is misoprostol , which causes the uterus to contract and expel the pregnancy. Abortion pill reversal involves giving progesterone after mifepristone in an effort to allow the pregnancy to continue. Don’t Wait for Symptoms Before Calling You may wonder whether you should wait before deciding what to do. But if you want to try to continue the pregnancy, call first.  It’s critical to start the protocol as soon as possible, ideally within 24 to 48 hours of taking mifepristone. However, you should still call even when more time has passed; it may not be too late. A medical provider can determine whether APR may still be appropriate. Does Reversal Always Work? Abortion pill reversal cannot guarantee that the pregnancy will continue. One published study reported ongoing pregnancy rates of approximately 64% to 68% with certain progesterone regimens, but individual outcomes vary. The important thing is to get medical guidance quickly rather than trying to determine your chances on your own. What if You Already Took Misoprostol? If you have already taken misoprostol, contact a healthcare professional promptly and explain exactly what you took and when. You should also seek immediate medical attention if you develop symptoms that concern you or believe you may be experiencing a medical emergency. Make the Call Now Changing your mind after taking mifepristone can be frightening, especially when you’re unsure whether there is still time to act. You don’t need to figure that out yourself. Call the Abortion Pill Reversal Network at 1-877-558-0333 as soon as possible and tell them when you took mifepristone. They can explain whether abortion pill reversal may still be an option and connect you with an appropriate provider. You can also contact Collage if you need someone to speak with while you work through your next steps. We’re here to help you. *Collage does not provide or refer for abortions; however, we do offer pre-abortion screening through our no-cost services. **All abortion information in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing.
September 7, 2026
Seeing another positive pregnancy test after having had a past abortion may bring up memories or emotions from that experience. If you already know you don’t want another abortion, you may be wondering what other choices you have and whether either feels realistic for your life right now. You have time to learn about your options and the available support. Collage is here to give you a place to discuss your circumstances so you can decide what’s right for you. Schedule a no-cost appointment today to learn more about your pregnancy and what your next steps could look like. And read on to learn more about your pregnancy options besides abortion. Consider What Parenting Would Require You may want to parent but have concerns about whether you can make it work. Finances, housing, childcare, your relationship, work, or school can all influence how possible this option feels right now. Before deciding that those challenges make parenting unrealistic, it can help to identify your biggest concerns individually. Some of those concerns may have solutions you haven’t considered yet. Think about the support you already have, along with what you would need during pregnancy and after your baby arrives. Knowing where the gaps are can make it easier to find resources rather than trying to solve everything at once. Learn More About Adoption If you don’t want another abortion but aren’t ready to parent, adoption is another option. Today, a woman making an adoption plan can have a significant role in deciding what that plan looks like. Depending on the type of adoption, you may be able to choose an adoptive family and decide what level of contact you would like after placement. Open, semi-open, and closed adoption offer different levels of communication and privacy. Speaking with a licensed adoption professional can help you understand these differences, your rights, and what the process would involve before you make any commitments. Discuss Your Options in a Confidential Space Having had an abortion before does not mean you have to make the same pregnancy decision again. Your feelings, circumstances, priorities, or perspective may be different this time. If you know you don’t want another abortion, start by learning what parenting and adoption could realistically look like in your current situation. Collage provides a place to talk about your pregnancy and the concerns influencing your decision. We can also connect you with adoption agencies and community organizations that provide the support you’re seeking. Reaching out doesn’t lock you into a specific decision. Schedule a no-cost appointment with Collage today to get your questions answered and explore the options available to you. Collage does not provide or refer for abortions; however, we do offer pre-abortion screening through our no-cost services.
August 11, 2026
If your girlfriend is facing an unexpected pregnancy and considering the abortion pill, you're probably wondering about costs and whether insurance will cover it.
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