Every year, right around back to school time, I notice a trend…
Some kids walk into the school year ready to rock. They feel prepared, excited, and eager to tackle new challenges. Others feel stressed out, overwhelmed, and already behind before school even begins.
A few years ago, I had a conversation with a student that stuck with me. They told me that they spent the majority of their summer dreading school. Rather than preparing, they worried. When school came around, they began the year anxious and frazzled. The next summer, they did things differently. They prepared, they planned, and created good habits. The results were incredible.
Do you know what doesn’t often prepare you for success in school?
Being smart.
More times than not, school is about who is most prepared, consistent, and has good habits.
Whether you’re starting middle school, high school, college, or are simply returning to class after a break, the ways you begin the school year can dictate your success for months to come.
Use this definitive back to school guide to better prepare mentally, physically, and academically so you can start the year strong and stay consistent long after the candy is gone from your lunchbox.
1. Reset Your Mindset Before School Starts
Before you go out and buy your school supplies or organize your backpack, take some time to reset your mindset.
Oftentimes, students walk into a new school year with the wrong mindset. Maybe you had a bad grade, lost friendships, lacked motivation, or didn’t feel confident at your old school. When you let those frustrations or failures carry over into your new season, you are instantly limiting yourself. Every year is an opportunity to start brand new and learn from your mistakes.
Focus on what you want to improve or do differently. Shift your mindset and believe that you can grow and handle whatever comes your way. Develop a growth mindset. How you think about school often determines how you’ll experience it.
Read also: 12 Back to School Routines for Teens to Start the Year Strong
2. Set Goals for the School Year
Many students make the mistake of walking into their school year without any goals.
If you show up to your new year without anything to work toward, it’s easy to get lost in the whirlwind of classes and assignments. When you set goals for yourself, you have something intentional to work toward. Setting goals will keep you motivated even when school gets tough.
Set goals for what you want to accomplish academically, socially, and personally. Write them down and review them daily.
Read also: 10 Back to School Ideas Preschool Parents Need to Try This Year
3. Get Your Supplies & Study Space Organized
Trust me when I say that being organized will save you hours of frustration this school year.
There’s nothing more annoying than digging through your backpack for a missing assignment or searching your room for notes right before class. Take the time to organize your supplies and create a system that will work for you throughout the year.
Clean off your desk or table and create a consistent place to study. Keep your school supplies, notebooks, and materials organized and within reach. You’ll thank yourself later.
Read also: 12 Back-to-School Gift Ideas for Kids From Parents
4. Create a Daily Routine
I’ve never met a successful student who leaned solely on motivation.
Motivation is great, but it won’t help you stay consistent when you don’t feel like doing homework. When you create a schedule or routine before school starts, you’ll be WAY more prepared to actually follow through.
Wake up, do homework, study, go to bed. These are decisions you’ll have to make each day. Having a consistent schedule will help you make fewer decisions and manage your time more effectively. One of the best habits you can develop is time management.
5. Develop Good Study Habits Early
Too many students wait until they’re failing to change their study habits.
If you start your year with good study habits, you’ll have a better chance of keeping up with your coursework. It’s always easier to maintain good habits than to build them later on.
Find what works best for you early. Some students succeed by repetition, others need visual aids, practice questions, or they have to teach the material to someone else. Find what works and study smarter, not longer.
6. Learn How to Deal With School Stress
As fun as school can be, it can also be stressful.
Tests, homework, clubs, sports, friends, college plans. No matter what you do, there will always be some sort of stress associated with school. When school starts, take time to learn how to manage your stress.
Exercise, get enough sleep, take breaks, and talk to someone. Stress will never fully disappear, but you can learn how to handle it in a healthy way. Learn stress management tricks that you can use throughout your school year.
7. Build Relationships
School isn’t all about academics.
The relationships you build with other students, teachers, and mentors can drastically improve your experience. When was the last time you had a great teacher or classmate that didn’t impact your life?
Be nice, be friendly, and don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to someone new. Building relationships is how you’ll meet new people and create your support system throughout your school year.
8. Stay Consistent With Your Health
Your brain needs fuel to learn.
How many hours you sleep, eat right, stay hydrated, and exercise each week will greatly impact your focus and energy in school. When your body is tired, your focus, memory, and motivation will also crash.
Make sure you’re sleeping, eating right, drinking water, and staying active all year long. Your brain will thank you!
9. Practice Good Technology Habits
Technology is literally keeping you up.
Smartphones, social media, Netflix, YouTube. All of these distractions make it hard to pay attention in class and keep you productive when studying. The average student loses hours of valuable time per week by browsing social media and TV shows they don’t even remember watching.
Put your phone on Do Not Disturb or turn off notifications when studying. Download apps that keep you off your phone. Schedule times to watch Netflix instead of letting Netflix distract you all day. Learn how to have digital wellness.
10. Expect Challenges
I promise you this school year will have obstacles.
Hard tests, low grades, unexpected events, you name it. They’re coming. The students who don’t let these obstacles stop them are the students who prepare for them in advance.
Tell yourself that obstacles are a natural part of the learning process. When something doesn’t go your way, ask for help, adapt your strategy, and keep pushing forward. Resilience is a skill you can learn.
Conclusion
Beginning a new school year is exciting, scary, and stressful. You don’t have to have it all together on day one.
What’s important is that you start with intention. Prepare your mindset for success, set goals that matter, build good habits, stay organized, and take care of your body. You’re setting yourself up for success when you have these things covered.
Remember that school isn’t about getting good grades. It’s about growing as a person, learning new skills, building relationships, and developing habits that you can carry with you for the rest of your life.
Focus on doing a little better every day, and you’ll look back at the end of the year amazed by what you accomplished.
FAQ
How can I mentally prepare for school?
Start preparing your mindset a few weeks before. Sleep earlier, wake up earlier, clean up your room, and start thinking about the new goals you want to set this year.
How can I prepare for school after summer break?
This blog post! Seriously, though. Start organizing, setting goals, and preparing your mindset a few weeks before school starts.
How can I prepare for school mentally and physically?
Reset your mindset for success, get your room and supplies organized, go buy new healthy school snacks, and start preparing yourself for your new daily routine.
What are some back to school tips?
Prepare your mindset, set goals for the year, build good habits, stay organized, take care of your health, and stay consistent.
How can students improve their learning?
Build good study habits from the start of the year. Learn how your brain best receives information and practice studying like crazy.
What should I buy for back to school?
Depends on what you need for school. But other than that, start with the basics. Notebooks, folders, pens, pencils, highlighters, a planner, and any technology your school requires.
How can students increase focus?
Start with your mindset and build good technology habits. If you’re distracted by your phone, you’ll never be able to fully focus on the task at hand.
How can I mentally prepare for school after summer?
Reset your mindset and try to get back into your normal daily routine a few weeks before school starts.
How can I start school off right?
Use this guide. Preparing your mindset, having good habits, and organization are some of the best ways to start your year off strong.
How do I avoid procrastinating in school?
Prepare a daily schedule that you’ll actually enjoy following. When you don’t have to think about what you should be doing next, you’ll be less likely to procrastinate.
What should I write in my notebook for school?
Write your goals somewhere you’ll see them every day. Journal, make a vision board, or write them in your notebook. Whatever you choose, just make sure you’re holding yourself accountable.
What should I write down for school?
Write down your goals! Any homework assignments or notes you need to study for. You could also write affirmations that help you stay confident and happy.
How can I focus more in school?
Prepare! The more prepared you are for your daily tasks, the better you’ll be able to focus when it’s time to study or do homework.
How should I prepare for school?
Reset your mindset before school, set goals for the year, and prepare your room and supplies so you’ll be organized from day one.
What do students need to succeed?
A great support system, good health, and great study habits. Aside from that, students just need to make sure they’re staying prepared and consistent.
How can I stop stressing about school?
Learn how to manage your stress! When you know how to take care of yourself during stressful times, you’ll stop worrying about things you can’t control.
How do you motivate yourself to go to school?
Remind yourself why you want to go to school. Maybe you have a big test that you need to study for. Maybe you just enjoy learning and can’t wait to see your friends.
What study habits should I avoid?
Waiting until the last minute to cram for a test. Studying for too many hours and not taking breaks.
How do I get motivated to learn?
Learn what you’re passionate about. The more you like what you’re learning, the more motivated you’ll be to study.
Save the pin for later
