Coming back to school after a long summer break can be quite an adjustment. Personally, my summer schedule consisted of very early mornings and sometimes late nights, leaving me feeling exhausted after ten weeks of hard work. The idea of more early mornings, balancing academics and social life, while still being able to look after myself feels even more tiring.
Here are some tips that have helped me and could help you readjust to the school grind.
Fix your sleeping schedule
Everyone knows that sleep is a crucial part of our daily lives. While on a long summer vacation, sleep schedules can get very hectic and often do not fit into our class schedule during the fall season. Take a look at your schedule and determine the best sleeping schedule for yourself and begin to train your body’s internal clock (maybe set some alarms if that helps).
Sleep allows the body to rest, and the more hours you sleep (ideally 6-8 hours for an adult), the better focus and more energy you will have the following day. Having a balanced sleep schedule is a good habit to adopt because it helps your body from feeling tired throughout the day so start setting up your alarms!
Keep a planner
Whether it is a physical planner, a monthly whiteboard, or a Google calendar, try your best to keep track of everything happening in your life. Personally, Google calendar works best for me because I can keep track of my classes, assignments, and social life in one place. This helps me from feeling overwhelmed and lost.
Keeping a planner allows you to be more organized and can help you create a routine that works best for you! What is also great about planners is the variety. There are planners that are detailed where you can plan your day hour by hour, or there are more general planners where you can write a sort of to-do list for the day.
Find a good balance
Just because summer is over does not mean the fun ends there. Coming back to school does not end your social life or whatever else you may have going on; it is all about finding a good balance and knowing how to prioritize your time. For me, I have been able to have loads of fun with my friends while still recognizing and prioritizing my work. Sure, sometimes you will have to miss out on some things, but there is nothing wrong with that. A simple movie night with friends or having a fun night out is totally possible!
Starting school once again is just another adjustment. It can take time to find a balance that works for you, but it is not impossible. Just keep your priorities in check, make sure that your dedication and time reflect those priorities, and if you need to have fun, make sure you have cleared your schedule for it!
After a well-deserved summer break, coming back to school can be a struggle and quite an adjustment, so I hope you find these tips as helpful as I did!
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