When I got to Israel everything was new to me. Yes, I had been to Israel before, but going to school in Israel and taking classes is a whole different type of experience. You are forced to learn how to manage your time between school and friends, and you have to learn when to prioritize what. It is very easy to fall behind if you are not smart about time management, so that is one of the things you learn how to do first, in my opinion. For example, we have to write photo journals after each tiyul (field trip), and because we go on tiyulim so frequently, it is hard to find time to write them. I have found that writing them on the bus rides home are the most efficient.

Keeping things organized is also essential while you are living here. First of all, having a clean and neat room is good for the mind. This means you already have a better environment to study and work in which is very important while you are here, due to our limited time given for school work. Also, when your dorm room is messy, it creates a great space for germs and bacteria to grow and spread. Living in a building full of teenagers is already a very efficient way for germs to spread, so having a clean room is just a precaution that should be met to prevent any sicknesses.

Lastly, I believe that having a good bond with your madrichim (counselors) is vital while we are here. Our madrichim are here to care for us and basically be our parents while we are making AMHSI our home. Having a good bond with them is great for just having another person to talk to while you are here. Any madrich will always be willing to talk to you about anything and all in all try to make this experience as amazing as it can be because that is all they want for us, is for us to have a good time.