Back to School Tips

Image source: CDC

As you’re heading back to school, you may be feeling overwhelmed by all of the things you need to stay on top of. But don’t worry–with a little bit of readjusting on your part and some advice on mine, hopefully you’ll go back to school feeling well-prepared and ready to take on the new year!

Invest in a planner.

Whether it’s a physical planner with colorful pens or just the calendar app on your phone, it’s extremely important to keep some sort of a planner. A basic planner will help you keep track of your time and write down all of your activities. Even if you aren’t very forgetful, the act of writing down what you have to do removes unnecessary stress from your mind, so that you can focus on more important things.

Don’t buy your textbooks before starting class.

You may be tempted to get your textbooks before the first day, but I highly suggest to wait until you get to your classes. Sometimes, your teachers or professors won’t require you to have the textbook, or they will have alternate ways for you to access resources for the class. If you are in need of textbooks, I recommend renting or buying books from Amazon, Chegg, or students who’ve taken the class before. This is often much, much cheaper than buying from the bookstore, and you can use that saved money for other things!

Have healthy snacks with you.

Being in school and studying takes a lot of brain energy, and that tends to make you hungrier faster. Something that helps me is to always have snacks in my backpack. Healthy options such as dried fruit, nuts, or crackers are great for on-the-go munching in between passing periods. They’ll keep your stomach from growling and help you stay concentrated on your work, too!

With these tips in mind, you’re sure to have great start to the school year. Just make sure you don’t forget them by second semester.