After three months of heatwaves, vacations, and relaxation school is finally back in session!

While we try to anticipate what the start of a new semester will bring us each tends to have its own set of surprises. 

That doesn’t mean though that you can’t plan ahead and form some new habits

It can be hard in the beginning, trust me I know. However, the more consistent you are in what you do the more it becomes second nature.

You may be thinking: That sounds easier said than done. What kind of things should I do to ensure I have a great semester? Where do I even start?

Don’t worry, I can help you out with that. Here are some tips to help you get back into the school groove:

Create a sleeping schedule:

Nights are young and endless in the summer, but with school in session, we have to change that a bit. How? Well, choose a time that you want to sleep during the week and stick to it. This can help you when you’re planning on how to manage your time before, in between and after your courses.

It is extremely important that you dedicate time to sleep. Your body, your mind and your energy will thank you later…trust me. 

Wake up at a time you know you can get things done:

Everyone has their own morning routine and some take longer than others to get ready for a new day. Think about what you do in the morning: Do I take a shower? Do I prepare myself a meal? How long does my makeup/skincare routine take? What are my means of transportation? Is there early morning practice?

All of these things matter. Make sure you wake up with time for everything so you can do it with ease, especially if you enjoy doing it and want to have fun with it. 

Eat well:

Forgetting to eat is something we all sometimes do when we are preoccupied with responsibilities. So, try to think ahead of when you may have time to eat in between everything. And if you don’t have space to sit down for a full meal prepare some snacks for yourself to take with you to munch on. 

Eating with friends? Figure out a time that works well for both of you and maybe even make it a routine.

All in all, make sure to have something to eat every day that will help you make it through your schedule.

Plan your schedule ahead:

WP Connect provides you with your course schedule and on BlackBoard your professor should have uploaded your syllabus with their assignments already laid out for the semester.

So, take advantage of that and plan out a basic schedule for yourself to follow. No need to set a plan for the entire semester, but instead, try laying out a plan one week at a time.

Organize your time. The end goal is that you are able to get everything that you need to get done without overwhelming yourself and in a way that makes you happy. 

Make new friends and rekindle with old ones:

Setting time aside to meet people is as important as setting time aside to study. Whether your meeting up with your current friends or are looking to spark some new connections. Going out and having some fun is never a bad thing to do. School can get pretty hectic and stressful, so giving yourself some time away from all that will help you remain grounded. 

Having people to relate with and be close to is important to have in university.

Never be afraid to ask for help:

Things can become hectic and in turn, get out of hand, but know that you are not alone. The university has resources to help you in times you feel you need a little help. And if you have anyone close that you feel safe with think about reaching out to them.

Have fun in your groove!

With a solid set of habits and routines, you are able to glide through things that once appeared overwhelming. I advise you to have fun when discovering these new sets of skills for yourself.  Take some chances, make memories with those close to you and set goals for yourself!

The days that you have are what you make it to be, make them count. 

These are just some of the many tips that you can apply. Just do whatever works for you and do it with ease! All of you are going to do great with whatever you choose to do! For now, I wish you the best of luck for this semester!