So, if you’re like several other American teenagers, you’re sitting at your desk on a sunny Wednesday afternoon desperately trying to digest the fact that it is the middle of August and school starts in only a few weeks. Like every other summer, you somehow don’t know where the time went, and the dreadful “back to school season” has suddenly creeped up on you. Don’t worry - you’re not alone. To make everything just a bit less appalling, here is a list of what you can do to force the anxiety away and help you enjoy the last few drops of the best season of the year.
- GET YOUR SUMMER WORK DONE EARLY!
I know you’ve heard this many times before, but it is the truth. You don’t want to be spending your last week of freedom pulling all nighter after all nighter trying to finish the 67 pages of an American History textbook that were assigned to you in June. If possible, you could try to carve out a few days in which you are totally free and seriously hunker down, attempting to get as much work done as you can before it becomes a last minute cram. If that doesn’t work for you, try to scoop out a time slot each day in which you spend an hour or two doing work. Whichever you choose, make sure you have a plan.
- Plan Your “Back to School” Shopping
Speaking of having a plan, make sure that you have somewhat of a “strategy” for your school supplies shopping. Whether you shop online or in-person, make sure you draft a list of everything you need. My suggestion would be to go through your old supplies from last year, and see which things can be reused or repurposed for this coming school year. Chances are, you probably don’t need to buy a whole new set of folders and binders for each class, and you most likely have some pencils and highlighters left from last year that went unused. Another strategy is to only buy a few essentials now, and wait until the first week of school to buy the rest to ensure that you only buy what you really need for each class.
- Get Into Your School Routine Early
I know waking up at 6:00 a.m. during the summer (especially when it’s not even to get the best spot at the beach) doesn’t sound too delightful. However, setting up a routine and practicing it before it’s actually needed is quite important. Even though it doesn’t sound like a fun addition to summer, practicing your school routine a few times before the big day will be extremely beneficial and make the first week just a tad bit less stressful. So, do yourself a favor and set that alarm even if it sounds kind of dreadful. Trust me - it will be worth it.
- Relax
I know I’ve just thrown a whole list of things you MUST do before the school year starts, it is also just as important that you take some time for yourself before you’re thrown into the busy world of quizzes and textbooks. As you probably already know, the school year will be filled with constant work and stress, so it is perfectly okay to unwind and plan a little “me-time” before that phrase seems like it came from a whole different planet. So, as the last item I leave you with, make sure you take some time out of your schedule to do something that is just for you!
Have a great school year! :)
Comments