I graduated high school in 2011 (crazy!!) and went to college for a very short period of time. So I haven't been in school for quite a while now, but I figured that I'd compile a list of tips to prepare for the school routine. These tips can be used wether you're in high school, college, grad school, or even work!
Prepare snacks, meals, etc. the night before. This is a big one. Each night or one night a week portion off baggies full of your favorite snacks. Then do the same with your meals, if possible. If you prepare everything the night before, then you can just grab and go in the morning.
Don't stay up late. Sleep is very important. I can never stress that enough. Strive for 7-9 hours a night, especially on a school night! Plan out your evenings so that is a realistic goal. Once you get into the routine of it you won't see it as a bad thing, but rather an awesome thing because you feel so refreshed the next day.
Wake up early enough. Being rushed in the morning isn't a good way to start your day. Even if you just wake up 10 minutes earlier you'll see such a difference in your day overall. Maybe you could start with 10 minutes and work your way up to eventually getting up an hour earlier! More time for breakfast, showering, a workout, even reading a book!
Eat Breakfast. This is so so so important. Breakfast helps wake up your body and prepare it for your busy day. It has the ability to reduce hunger throughout the day which stabilizes your blood sugar levels and cholesterol leaving you healthier overall. Plus, it's an excuse to eat more oatmeal, pancakes, etc. ;)
Keep an agenda or a list of things that you need to do. Write everything down that you need to remember. Test on Friday? Write it down. Spanish club meeting on Wednesday? Write it down. Writing down everything that you have going on throughout your day, week, month, etc. helps you to keep a better schedule and become more prepared for everything that you have to do.
Organize your supplies. Being organized should be one of your top priorities when it comes to school. The last thing that you want to do is misplace the report that you worked on for hours upon hours resulting in a failing grade. It just takes an extra 10 or so minutes to organize your stuff. Keep binders, folders, tablets, etc. labeled and in a place that you know is safe to keep them.
Eat intuitively. Stress eating happens to a lot of students. You get caught up in life and it's so easy to fall into the habit of eating away your feelings which usually results in more feelings leaving you worse off than when you began. Eat when you're hungry, stop when your full. Listen to your body and take care of it. It deserves that. If you don't know how to eat intuitively or where to start, pick up this book. It changed my life.
Exercise. A lot of people tell me that they don't have the time to exercise. I always tell them that they need to make time. Exercise is fun and makes you happy! Who doesn't want that? Find something you enjoy doing. Running, yoga, lifting, walking, biking, barre, dancing, hiking, Insanity or P90X programs. There are so many different ways to get exercise into your life. Do one that makes you happy and maybe find a friend to join. Exercise releases endorphins which improves your mood and makes you feel good. Set aside about 30 minutes a day for a few days a week and get moving.
Focus on one thing at a time. Don't start one thing and skip to another. You'll find yourself getting less done. If you have 2 tests tomorrow, start with one subject and work with it for a while. Then move on to the other subject. Don't flip back and fourth between both.
Surround yourself with positive influences. School is stressful. The last thing you need is others around brining you down. Surround yourself with happiness and love! If someone is always making negative or rude comments and you don't particularly enjoy their company, then remove yourself from that situation if possible. You don't need that.
Love yourself. It's not anyone's job to do this, except yours. At the end of the day, you're the one standing at the mirror looking back. You only get one life, one body, one soul; so why not love it? What is there not to love? You're great! Don't waste time bringing yourself down when you can be happy.
Get involved. Find a club or group that has the same interests as you. Go to dances, sporting events, etc. and meet people! Do good things in your community and have fun at the same time.
Set goals. At the beginning of each semester, sit down and write out some goals. They can be simple, like wanting to meditate 5 minutes every morning when you wake up or everyday studying a subject that you struggle with. Anything! But write them down and look at them often. It'll keep you focused and driven.
Take school seriously. You're very lucky to be receiving the education that you are. Take it seriously. It won't last forever and learning things can be so fun if you can create ways to make it fun!
Smile and enjoy the moment. The only moment that we have is right now. That's it. Smile, relax, and be happy. Everything works out the way it's meant to be and just enjoy how things are. Let them be as they are :)
Here's me on my high school graduation day. I was so happy, but definitely miss some of the aspects of high school now that I'm done. Enjoy each moment that passes by :)