How to Start the School Year Strong: Set Yourself Up for Success

The day when we finally return to school is just around the corner. I can imagine that some of you are anticipating going back, while others are dreading starting the new school year. Nevertheless, it’s imperative that you take the necessary actions to set yourself up for success. While the “back-to-school” time can be stressful and tedious, remember that all the preparation and organization will do you good in the long run. Because this is the first year where we don’t need backpacks (unless your school is doing in-person), we have to think outside the box about where to keep papers from different classes, school supplies, etc. For those of you who don’t have a clue of what to do, DON’T WORRY. There’s no right or wrong system for school. However, I have come up with a list of six things you should do to start the school year strong and set yourself up for success:

1. Grind through the Summer Assignments

Summer assignments can be a pain in the butt to do. Trust me, I finally finished mine two days ago and it was not the best time. While you can effectively manage your time and choose to do parts of your work day-by-day, something that I tried was dedicating a single day to my particular assignment and I ended up getting it done by the end of the day. This tactic may not have been the smartest way to complete said assignment, but it can be useful if you just want to get it out of the way and be stress-free. 

2. Determine Whether you can Reuse any School Supplies

I know that not buying new school supplies ruins the whole “back-to-school” experience. However, what’s the point of purchasing boxes and boxes of new pencils, pens, erasers, etc. if there’s plenty laying around in the house. That’s why it’s important to scan around your house and figure out what you already own, and then create a list of materials and supplies that you actually need, such as a new notebook, or scrap paper, etc. By doing that, you’re not wasting money on any unnecessary school supplies. 

3. Create a Productive Workspace

You’re going to be doing school from your home, which means that you have to be in a place where you can be efficient and focused during classes. At school, there’s different classrooms with desks reserved for each person. With distance-learning, nothing is provided for you. It is up to you to decide on the location of where you will be able to function in this new era of learning. I understand that this is going to be different for everyone and it’s truly unfortunate for those of you with limited options, less space, and different circumstances. Possible locations can be on a desk in your room, the basement, or even outside (depending on the weather). With this situation, you just have to work with what you’ve got.

4. Organize, Organize, Organize!

Everything feels right when you have fully organized something; whether it’s your room, papers, supplies, sleep schedule, or your life. Everyone should find something that works for them. Some ideas are: having folders and then transferring to binders after completing a unit, having only binders for each subject, or having one huge file folder for all your classes. Remember, because we’re starting the year online, it’s important that you establish a system of organization on your computer. What I mean by this is that you should create separate folders for each of your classes because a lot of the work we’re going to be doing is digital. You can do this on your home screen for whatever O.S. you use, but I’d really recommend doing it on Google Drive because many teachers are posting assignments using Google Classroom. 

5. Find your Why

Before the start of each school year, find your “why.” Isn’t it so easy to feel exuberant and excited in the beginning of the year, but then lose steam as the year progresses? It’s so important to really reflect and evaluate your actions everyday. Why do you want to succeed in school or anything you do outside of school? Once you’ve come to an answer, let it sink in your mind, but also display it physically. You can write this purpose on a piece of paper or sticky note everyday, put up pictures or quotes that provide inspiration, or create a Pinterest board. That way, you can use this later on in the year when you’re feeling burned out and low on energy. All you have to do is take a quick glance at it and hopefully that will push you to keep going.

6. Take a Break

It’s called “summer break” for a reason… In the last week before school starts, take a break from all the strenuous school preparation and learning and review. You can still use your time wisely and be productive, but it’s important to conserve your energy and gauge up before the craziness begins. Seriously, just take some time to do absolutely nothing so that you will be more motivated to get right back on the horse. By the time you get bored of doing nothing, your brain will be itching to do something new, which is why all this relaxation and peace is good for you in the long run. 

This year, everything is going to be different. This is a stressful time for both teachers and students. We need to do our best to support everyone and make the best out of this situation. It’s not going to be easy to settle in and get into a routine because we really don’t know how things are going to work. However, by taking necessary actions to set yourself up for the school year, it’ll take a huge amount of weight off your shoulders and gear you up for what’s to come.