Starting a new school year can be so exciting: new clothes to freshen up your wardrobe, new dorm or room to settle into, getting to see your friends and making new ones… there’s a general feeling of newness. With that, though, can be the overwhelming feelings of uncertainty: different classes, different professors and a different workload. School, especially college, will never be stress free, but there are some ways to start the year off with less stress.
Print out your syllabi before class if possible
And actually read them. There’s helpful information in there! Reading the syllabus before class gives you some insight as to what you’re getting yourself into when the first day of class rolls around. It can be helpful to highlight, underline or mark up important dates or assignments and write down questions about the syllabus, so you can ask about them in class. Chances are other people have questions, too!
Get to know your campus
Even if this isn’t your first year on campus, find your classes. It can be so refreshing to be out on campus after a long summer, and you won’t be as lost or panicked finding your classes that first week. Grab some friends and take a walk to find everyone’s buildings and classrooms.
Set up your room ASAP
Don’t leave those boxes and bins sitting there! Whether you’re living in a dorm, apartment or house, setting up your new room is crucial to feeling more “at home.” Take a day to blast some music, unpack, rearrange and decorate. It’ll just be one more thing off the list!
*tip: If you’re living in a dorm, leave your door open, so your floormates can pop in and out. Bonding over dorm-decor/HGTV is a great way to meet people and make friends!
Get started early
No, you don’t have to do next week’s calculus homework the first day of class, but it is helpful to stay on top of things by acknowledging assignments or starting on them a week or so ahead of time. It can be kind of weird not having much to do the first week of classes, which can lead to feeling impatient and anxious. Take a few deep breaths and try to do what you can now. Then get a planner and set up a homework/work schedule for the next week or so, feel it out, and adjust accordingly.
Speaking of planners…
One of the best ways to kick stress in the butt is to end the day or start the new day by making a list of stuff that needs to get done. Lists not only help you organize, but they help you see all the accomplishments you’ve made throughout the day. And crossing something off a list just feels so satisfying.
Take a break from school already
Yeah, you read that right. Sure, school just started… but college is hard, and the pace of things will pick up throughout the semester. Now’s the time to really enjoy you’re free time! But if you’re already feeling overwhelmed while looking over the syllabus the first week, do something that doesn’t directly involve school. Besides checking out campus organizations, colleges have a lot of unique shops, restaurants, clubs or bars and walking trails to keep you entertained and de-stressed.
Best of luck, and happy new school year!