Our interns have started plenty of school years between them. Some walked into a new building on day one, some logged into a first class from a desk at home. We asked what helps them begin a year well, and their advice had more to do with mindset and setup than with any supply list. They shared what works for them.
Start with your mindset
Phoebe Strickland, one of our high school interns, spent past summers bracing for the worst before a single class began. She would rather have looked ahead to the good parts. “I wish I hadn’t started so many school years imagining the worst instead of enjoying the good moments that come with meeting new people and teachers,” she says.
The first day arrives whether you dread it or not, so put your energy into the part you can shape. Look ahead to a new teacher, a class you have wanted to take, a friend you have not seen since June. Going back is an adjustment on its own, and stacking pressure on top of it can wear you down. Give yourself grace while you settle in.
Set up before day one
Walking in prepared changes how the first day feels. Buy the supplies you need, clear out the closet, set up your space before anyone hands you a syllabus. Phoebe does this every August. “I always take the time to clean and reorganize before I go back to school. This small effort has allowed me to start every year with not only a cleaner room, but also a fresh mindset,” she says. A clean desk gives your brain one less thing to sort through on a busy morning.
A planner helps too. Pick one you like the look of, and write things down even when you fall out of the habit for a few days. Getting a deadline out of your head and onto a page clears mental space and takes the edge off stress.
Name a few intentions
Before the year fills up, write down a few things you desire to make happen. Aim for a grade if that motivates you, and name how you want to feel too. More sleep, or a club you have been curious about. Intentions give you something to move toward, and the ones about caring for yourself matter as much as the academic goals.
If you’re learning from home
Phoebe’s tips work wherever your classroom is. Learning from home brings a few challenges of its own, and Justice Jones, another of our interns, knows them well. He is a homeschool student and takes classes through an online program. Here is what he shared about staying on track.
Keep your workspace simple. He keeps a planner and a short to-do list on his desk, close enough to glance at without opening a tab, so assignments and due dates stay in front of him.
Build your own routine. Online days do not come with a bell, so the structure is yours to set. He follows a daily rhythm and puts reminders on his phone for deadlines. Between classes, he steps away from the screen for a few minutes to rest his eyes, which keeps the fatigue from building.
Stay connected on purpose. Justice stays active on the discussion boards and messages classmates whenever a question comes up. Reaching out keeps the work from feeling solitary.
Start early. Deadlines in an online program arrive faster than they look. Beginning an assignment the day it lands beats scrambling the night before.
A good start
None of this has to happen at once. Pick the one tip that fits you and try it this week. Let the rest wait. Our interns worked out their routines over several first days, and yours can come together the same way. Here’s to a successful back to school season!
For more back to school tips, take our free online mini course, Flawless Wellness for Students!
