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Back to school season is one of the most exciting times of the year. Whether it be the smell of fall in the air or the colorful new school supplies, no one can deny that going back to school is a very fun time.
However, it can also be nerve-racking; worries about what to wear or what to pack can creep up on you, making you feel more stressed than you need to be. To counter that and make this new school year feel more than conquerable, read this article to discover four tips about how to make this year full of fun and no fret.
1. Be Organized
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Organization is a term that can annoy some and make others smile ear to ear. In other words, it is an ambivalent word in the back to school world. However, it can more than help you in the sense of making you less worried about going back to school.
To start, you should begin organizing all your notebooks, folders, and binders. This can be done by picking out a notebook and folder or a binder for each class that you have. Even though many classes may utilize digital resources instead, paper and pen are still very important for doing well in class.
That is because of two reasons: the first one is that it is sometimes easier to take notes in a notebook when you're on the go rather than having to type them somewhere. Typing requires you to have your laptop/phone/electronic equipment out so you can record your notes on it. You also have to have all your note-taking apps running on your electronic equipment as well.
This can be difficult at times because if you are in a position where your electronics aren't working, are dead, or aren't turned on, you can't take your notes effectively when you need to. And, if you go to take them later on, you still won't be able to accurately record them as you are bound to have forgotten some of the information throughout the day. Clearly, note-taking by hand is quite easier in many contexts, such as the ones described above, making it much better than digital note-taking most of the time.
The second reason that you should take some of your notes in a notebook or binder is because of its effects on your memory. Many studies conducted show that writing by hand promotes your memory, meaning that when you write, you remember what you're writing. This thus translates into you remembering all your notes.
Conversely, typing does not have these same effects. When you type so much so fast, you do not remember much of what you wrote, therefore resulting in you not remembering your notes. Understanding all of this, it is very easy to see that writing down your notes is clearly the better option compared to typing them.
In addition to organizing your notes in notebooks, you should also organize all your digital apps as well. This is, in simpler terms, everything that you use on your device to help you do well in school. Your Canvas, Google Classroom, or Microsoft Teams, for example, should be organized in the order of your classes, with each class having its own color.
Along with that, you should also situate all the websites that you will use for your classes. These websites can include Google Docs, Word, Powerpoint, and others. Having these websites set up will help you be prepared for the first day of school and classes, making your stress levels lower.
2. Buy New School Supplies
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Without school supplies there, frankly, is no school. While fun to buy, they are an essential to success in the classroom. However, while some think that it's important to have every product that the stores tell them to buy, others only want the bare essentials. Despite what one thinks is best for them, there are some items that everyone must have.
These must have supplies are probably obvious, but they can still be easily forgotten. First up is pencils, which are beyond necessary - mainly because of their erasability. When you are writing notes all the time, you are bound to make mistakes.
However, with pencils you can easily correct them. This leads to the next supply, which is pens. Pens are usually not erasable but are sometimes necessary when needing to write something that will never disappear, as pencil written notes will fade over time.
To complement those writing utensils are highlighters. Highlighters are important because they can make your major notes/ideas stand out. By highlighting your main points, your eyes will go right to it and you will easily be able to find that crucial bullet point that you need during a long study session.
In addition to highlighters, you must also have Post-it Notes. These are necessary for any student because they allow you to write quick notes and thoughts to yourself for later. This can help you not forget anything and stay on top of things.
With all this, you need a cheap pencil case to keep all your supplies in. While throwing all your items in your bookbag might seem easier, it will turn out bad, nonetheless, when you can't find any of your things when you need them. However, that dilemma can be avoided if you have all your things in a pencil case.
3. Prepare Your Outfits
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Back to school shopping is an activity that many upcoming students take part in. This thus results in many new tops, jeans, sneakers, and a million other accessories in your closet before the school year begins. And, although that can seem fun, it is definitely overwhelming when planning out outfits. To counter this though, preparing your outfits, at least for the first week of school, can surely help.
When planning your clothes, make sure to check the weather forecast first. This is vital to ensuring that you pick clothes that you'll be comfortable in; comfort equals success. Once you have an idea of what your first week of school will look like, figure out what kind of outfit you would like.
For example, decide if you want a dress or jeans, and if you want to wear solids or a print. Answering these questions will make your outfit choosing a thousand times easier.
In order to make sure that you outfit works, trying it on the night before will let you see it on yourself without the pressure of making it to school on time. By doing so, you can truly decide if these clothes work for you and if not, you can change them. Picking the right outfit is crucial to making you feel confident and thus perform better in school. On top of that, your outfit contributes to your first impression, which makes it even more important as a component when preparing for school.
4. Plan for Your First Day
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The best way to decrease your first day of school stress is to be prepared for it. And while easier said than done, it is more than possible to be ready for it. This can be done by preparing your clothes, laptop, bookbag, and logistical things, such as how you'll get to school.
Decide if you will be walking there, driving there or getting driven by someone else, taking public transportation, or will be taking the school bus. This is important because it will allow you to set a realistic time to leave for school. This will also ensure that you set your alarm for the right time so that way you have enough time to wake up, get ready, and eat breakfast. Not having to rush will make you feel more relaxed and walk into school calmly.
In addition to planning out your morning, you should also map out how you will get from class to class. On the first day of school, everyone is lost and confused on how to get to their classes. This can make it harder for you to get around and be where you need to be.
To eliminate that, you should plan out how you will get to all your classrooms as well as shortcuts to get there. By doing so, you will be able to get to class efficiently and timely.
The last step to making sure you have a great first day is to decide who you will eat lunch with. Lunch is one of the most important times of the day because it is your only time to talk with your friends and decompress from your day. However, if you walk into the cafeteria not knowing where to go or who is there, you can easily become nervous or overwhelmed by all the people.
To avoid this situation, make sure that you discuss who you will sit with and where in the cafeteria you will sit. This will allow you to quickly find your friends and feel confident when you enter the lunchroom.
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