It’s almost that time of year again. And if you want to bring your “A” game from the get-go, you’d better start preparing now.
Regardless of whether you’re gearing up for a fresh semester of college or your kids are about to start a new school year, here are some tips to help keep the students in your apartment organized this back-to-school season.
Find Your Routine
If you’ve done the whole back-to-school thing before, you probably know what routine optimizes your academic performance. Ease back into that routine, adjusting your meal times and moving your bedtime up by 10 or 15 minutes a day between now and the first day of school, if necessary. It will be much easier on your mind and body to ease in your routine gradually, rather than all at once.
When finding your back-to-school routine, don’t neglect the importance of exercise for you or your children. Use your apartment’s fitness studio and swimming pool, sign your kids up for league play in sports that interest them, or make frequent visits to the park.
Fill In Your Calendar
Time management is crucial to academic success. If you’re like most people, the ability to manage your time wisely hinges on keeping a calendar and using your time as planned. If you’re tech savvy or just really good with online calendars, create color-coded calendar for each facet of your academic experience.
If you have kids in different schools and activities, create a calendar for each kid and link them to help you keep track of your children’s deadlines and activities as well. If you use a wall or pocket calendar, be vigilant about checking it. Set alarms to remind yourself of due dates and events, and do whatever else you need to ensure your calendar fulfills its purpose.
Plan a Shopping Spree
Where school supplies are concerned, it’s generally best to go shopping after you know what you’ll need, but before school starts. You are more likely to have your pick of colors and styles and less likely to run into supply shortages. If you’ve done the back-to-school thing enough times, you won’t even have to wait for recommended or required school supply list to arrive to get what you need.
If you’re taking arts or science classes that require specific materials, try to get your hands on those lists as early as possible. If brick-and-mortar school supply shopping stresses you out, you can opt to order what you need online.
Map Your Route
How do you plan to get to school this fall? How well do you know your new school? If you’ve recently moved to a new apartment or are attending a new school, it’s smart to familiarize yourself with the route you’ll take to get there. By taking a test walk, ride, or drive, you’ll also get a feel for how long it takes to get there.
Organize Your Desk
Is there a desk in your apartment where you plan to do most of your reading, studying, and writing? Start the school year off right by organizing that desk now. Go through all the drawers and remove anything you don’t need. Clear the desk’s surface of all the essentials, and make sure that everything left has a specific place.
Leave Some Time Open
Going into a new school year, it’s often hard to gauge how long you’ll need to stay on top of your school work and extracurricular activities. If possible, try to schedule in plenty of down time you can use for extra studying or getting to know new classmates at the beginning of the year. This can help you flourish as the academic year moves on.
If you haven’t started thinking about the new school year, it’s high time you start. Make a checklist of the things you need to do, and start crossing them off. Do this, and this back-to-school season may prove the best and easiest you’ve had yet.
How do you prepare for a new year during the back-to-school season? Let us know in the comments.
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View All Posts by Jason Ernst