Stock up on supplies
Create a message centre
Life can be chaotic during the school year, so keeping everyone in the family updated about your schedule can be really useful. A magnetic calendar is a great shout for your fridge or freezer. Place it where you can easily add appointments, rehearsals and sports practices to stay on track.
Prepare your home-working space
Creating a good focus environment is crucial for online lessons and homework. If you’ve let your room get messy over the summer, clear your desk and make any changes necessary. For example, if you’ve been finding it a bit dark, invest in a new desk lamp. With the upcoming darker evenings, small changes like this can make a big difference to how efficiently you work.
Prepare for early mornings
About two weeks before school starts, start going to bed a little earlier each night and waking up to an alarm clock. Set it a quarter or half an hour earlier each day so that you gradually adjust to early starts again. Stock up on quick and easy breakfasts, such as microwaveable porridge, and go shopping for some healthy packed lunch foods to take to school with you.
Recap what you did last year
If you’re continuing the same courses, you’ll find it much easier to pick up where you left off by spending a little bit of time looking over what you’ve already covered. Read through your notes and essays to refresh your memory and increase your confidence as you approach the new school year. This will also put you in the right frame of mind for going back to school.
Read through the syllabus
Having a look at the syllabus will give you an overview of what to expect, so that nothing comes as a surprise once term starts - which may be especially useful if you’re starting a new subject. For example, if you know that a particular novel is going to be on the agenda for A-level English Literature, make sure you’ve read it by the time you go back to school. This will help you hit the ground running.
Summer homework
If you’ve been given any homework projects over the summer, make sure that they’re all completed to a high standard. Try not to leave it to the last minute either. Allowing plenty of time means you can complete your assignments in a stress-free manner, producing a standard of work that sets the tone for the new school year.
Make sure your summer employer knows you’re going back to school
If you’ve had a summer job, make sure your employer knows when you’re going back to school, and maybe try to organise weekend work for the new term. The end of summer is also a good time to update your CV with any projects you’ve been doing or skills you’ve gained, so that it’s ready for any part-time jobs you might want to apply for later on.
Set yourself a goal (and reward) for the year
One of the best ways you can motivate yourself for the new school year is to set yourself targets: academic or otherwise. By physically documenting your goals on paper, you’ll be more likely to actively pursue them. Ideas can include: waking up earlier so that you have time for a good morning routine, making more productive use of your lunch breaks or free periods, and setting aside time each week for reading around your subject. Start the year as you mean to go on, and you’ll get into some great habits. Rewarding yourself every time you meet one of your milestones is important too!
Relax
The summer holiday is almost at an end, so make the most of what’s left of it by treating yourself to some relaxation time. You have a busy year ahead of you, and need to approach it feeling well-rested. Take some time to meet up with friends, spend time with family and do the things you love - after all, that’s what summer is for!
References:
https://www.oxford-royale.com/articles/back-to-school/
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