10 Tips for a Strong Start to the New School Year!
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Getting Your Life Together
- Fixing Your Sleep Schedule
- Building Good Habits and Routines
- Decluttering Your Life
- Cleaning Your Room and Organizing your Physical Environment
- Creating a Well-lit and Organized Study Environment
- Organizing Your Digital Space
- Creating Music Playlists
- Study Playlist
- Happy Playlist
- Chill Playlist
- Setting Goals for the School Year
- Finding an Organization Method
- Organizing Physical Things like Notes and Papers
- Organizing Digital Files
- Finding a Study Buddy
- Back-to-School Shopping
- Setting Up a Planning System
- Physical Planning System
- Digital Planning System
- Creating an Inspirational Resource
- Starting to Revise or Take Courses Before School Starts
Get Ready for the Upcoming School Year
Hey guys, welcome back! In this article, I wanted to share with You how you can prepare for the upcoming school year and provide you with ten actionable tips you can follow before or a few weeks after going back to school. I understand that after the initial excitement, it's easy to lose motivation, so I hope these tips will help you stay productive and motivated throughout the entire semester or at least for the majority of it. So let's not waste any more time and dive right into it!
1. Getting Your Life Together
The first step to a successful school year is getting your life together. This includes various aspects, starting with fixing your sleep schedule. During the summer break, it's common to stay up late browsing social media or watching videos. However, this habit will inevitably hurt you once school starts. To overcome this, try to fix your sleep schedule by going to bed around eight hours before you plan to wake up. Setting alarms can also help remind you when it's time to prepare for bed.
Another crucial aspect of getting your life together is building good habits and routines. Creating a productive morning and night routine can significantly impact your overall productivity throughout the semester. It's recommended to write down each step of your ideal routines and start practicing them as soon as possible. As the semester progresses and your workload increases, it becomes harder to build new habits, so the best time to start is today.
2. Decluttering Your Life
Decluttering your physical and digital environments is vital for a fresh start to the school year. Start by cleaning your room and organizing your physical space as much as possible. Go through your papers and notes from the previous semester, decluttering and organizing them. This process will leave you feeling refreshed and ready for the new academic challenges.
Next, ensure that your study environment is well-lit for both daytime and nighttime studying. Consider decorating your study area with things that make you happy but be mindful not to overcrowd it with distractions. Additionally, don't forget about your digital space. Clean your phone, organize your desktop, and delete any unnecessary files. Ensure that you have enough free storage on all your devices to store important files and resources for the upcoming school year.
3. Creating Music Playlists
Music can be an excellent tool to boost motivation and focus while studying. It's advisable to Create different playlists for various moods and situations. A study playlist is essential for productivity during study Sessions. Consider searching for existing study playlists or creating your own. Additionally, a playlist filled with happy, upbeat songs can help lift your mood and get you excited about life and your goals. Lastly, create a chill playlist to help you relax, get cozy, and destress after long days.
4. Setting Goals for the School Year
Setting clear goals for the school year can enhance your focus and efficiency. Using the SMART goal system is recommended, ensuring that your goals are Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Time-bound. For example, you can set goals such as completing all your work on weekdays to have relaxing weekends, finishing and submitting assignments 24 hours before their deadline, or socializing more and making new friends.
5. Finding an Organization Method
Effective organization is crucial for academic success. Find an organization method that works for you, whether through physical tools like notebooks, binders, or expanding file folders, or digital methods like calendar apps or productivity apps. Experiment until you find a system that makes your life easier and genuinely works for you. Additionally, for digital files, create a folder structure to keep track of assignments and documents, and consider using a cloud storage platform like Google Drive or Dropbox for easy access from anywhere.
6. Finding a Study Buddy
Studying alone can be challenging, as there's no one to hold you accountable. Finding a study buddy can be immensely beneficial for motivation and productivity. Ideally, this person would be from your class, allowing you to share notes and discuss topics. If finding a study buddy in person is difficult, consider joining online study groups or platforms where you can connect with like-minded individuals.
7. Back-to-School Shopping
Back-to-school shopping can be exciting, especially when it involves stationery supplies and aesthetic notebooks. However, it's essential to prioritize practicality over aesthetics. Consider purchasing items that will genuinely assist you throughout the semester. For example, a study timer can help minimize distractions from your phone, and a laptop stand and vertical iPad stand can improve posture and comfort while studying.
8. Setting Up a Planning System
Having a planning system in place is vital for keeping track of deadlines, due dates, assignments, and study sessions. You can opt for a physical planning system like a planner or bullet journal if you enjoy creativity, or a digital planning system using calendar apps or productivity apps. Experiment with different methods until you find one that suits your needs and preferences.
9. Creating an Inspirational Resource
During the semester, there may be times when you feel unmotivated or lazy. Having an inspirational resource to refer back to can help reignite your motivation. Look at your goals, create a mood board with images related to your aspirations, and follow study-related accounts on social media for daily motivation and inspiration. Surrounding yourself with positive reminders can make a significant difference in your motivation levels.
10. Starting to Revise or Take Courses Before School Starts
To get a head start on the upcoming school year, consider revising your previous notes or taking online courses related to the subjects you'll be studying. This will help you recall important information and acquaint yourself with new topics. Platforms like edX and Coursera offer free courses from prestigious universities, providing valuable insights that can improve your understanding of various subjects.
By following these tips and getting prepared before the start of the school year, you can set yourself up for success. From getting your life together, decluttering your space, and creating music playlists to setting goals, finding a study buddy, and organizing your study materials, each step plays a crucial role in maximizing your productivity. So, get ready and make the most out of the upcoming school year!
