How To Brace Yourself For A New School Year

How to Brace Yourself for a New School Year

August is fast approaching once again! Though I’m all for “starting the year/ school year right”, I think it’s pretty much unavoidable for us to get off track. A lot. Because of that, I put together this infographic to help minimize those stressful moments in your brand new school years.

First of all, get your shit together. And I mean both physically and emotionally.

it’s a new start my friend!! detox your mind of all those negative thoughts (and people) and embrace the opportunity to start over.

gather all the supplies you need. if you’re moving into a dormitory, make sure it’s equipped with everything you need to feel at home.

her campus college packing list

do’s and don’ts

don’t go overboard with this step, but go get yourself some new stationery. choose wisely, and ensure that you’ll actually use it and it’s not just for purposes of aesthetic. we all want nice instagram feeds, but don’t let that be a reason for you to buy too much pretty stationery.

why not think of a note taking system before classes begin?

the cornell system

mind mapping

flashcards

not all may find the idea of going back to school exciting, but you gotta have the motivation to keep that positive mindset in your head throughout the year! go you.

Organize your study space. You may have to stay in it much longer than usual now.

lighting is important. it’s oversaid, but never untrue. opt for natural lighting when you can, but if you can’t or you’re a night owl, get a good study lamp to brighten up those long hours of work.

I did say you’re probably gonna be staying here for some long bouts of time, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. make your desk one of your favorite places to be in. if you want to, make it really pretty. hang up some motivational posters or quotes - perhaps you even want a color scheme with that.

desk inspiration

quote posters to get you going

quotes from writers

have an accessible stash of stationery on your desk at all times so that you don’t have to go looking for a pen and a sticky note when you need to write something down. keep pens, pencils and highlighters in a jar near you.

keep something green on your desk, like a succulent. plants are adorable and the sight of them can boost your productivity.

have a planner or a bullet journal, and make space for that too.

a bujo masterpost

if working with music helps you, have headphones with you as well. always have a study playlist on hand. go for instrumentals or wordless tracks.

study playlist masterpost

make it a habit to keep your space in check every night before you go to bed. it really could make a big difference in how much work you’re gonna be able to do. don’t forget to stay clear of distractions!

Create a stress management system.

okay. this is what i’m telling you to brace yourself for. there are gonna be those days or those moments when you’re gonna feel really depressed or panicked. you’re gonna be okay. feel free to message me or any other studyblr - we’re here to listen =)

take some time out to practice self care and put off work, even for a bit. school is not the most important thing in the world, keeping yourself alive and healthy is. you can sleep, be kind to yourself.

self-care reminders

soothe yourself

go get some food too. you can prep some of your own if you’d prefer.

food masterpost

mood boosting food

never ever ever underestimate the power of exercise. the feeling of finishing a workout is so so so satisfying and I can guarantee you will feel better in no time.

the seven minute workout

popsugar fitness

take out your mat and do some yoga. stretch out all those muscles you held in place for so long sitting at your desk.

I find it important to always have a mini-collection of unread books. if you don’t have any, one of my favorite places to be in is a bookstore or library - and I just read whatever I find. the results can be life changing.

take time to hone your skills in your hobbies. if you can, do it everyday - do that one thing that makes you really happy daily. maybe you like singing. or playing the guitar. or painting. whatever it is, go do it.

write it down! I keep an electronic journal and it really helps to just spill your thoughts out on a notebook or your phone.

honey, please talk to someone if you need to. it won’t hurt.

Get a headstart on academics.

especially on subjects that are easier with advanced reading. if you already know what books you’re going to be tackling for english or literature, go read them.

sparknotes

shmoop

try asking upper years who used to take your classes if they still have their course outlines, or any material they were given before. this can save lives.

gonna be taking a language class? why not start learning it already?

duolingo

memrise

find textbooks and start using them!!

don’t have any idea of what you’re going to study yet? that doesn’t mean you should stop learning something new. you can listen to a ted talk or join an online course.

ted

crash course

coursera

Finally, set SMART goals for the school year. And have a concrete plan for how you’ll reach them.

what average are you aiming for? what organizations do you want to join? make your goals realistic and specific.

motivation is very important, but honestly, you can’t count on it to be with you every single day, every single moment of your life while you’re working for your goals. what will push you forward then? discipline.

building discipline

surround yourself with a community people who support you. like I said in the first step, detox all those negative people from your life. find ways to work with your friends and help each other in attaining goals.

set rewards for yourself too, not just in the long run but for the little things like finishing a good study session or passing a paper early.

study reward ideas

that being said, don’t underestimate the power of setting your short-term goals. those will be your stepping stones to pursuing the bigger picture you envision for yourself.

Tumblr and Pinterest, provided you don’t go too far in using them, can serve your daily doses of inspiration. don’t just use them for the sake of looking at aesthetically pleasing shots, though.

on a final note, don’t let academics take over your life. I hope you have a fantastic year, and good luck!

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hey everyone! with the start of the new school year right around the corner, i thought i’d make my first ~studyblr masterpost~ in an attempt to consolidate some tips & goals that i’ve found helpful or that i plan to use for online classes. honestly, these might be useful even for in-person classes!

1. DEVELOP YOUR STUDY SYSTEM

it’s very easy for me to download files into multiple different folders, take notes in whatever notebook’s closest to me, or jot down dates on the back of envelopes. then, when i need to study or double check a syllabus or instructions, i have no idea where to look.

instead: choose one or two methods of storing information. you can go all-online (notion, google drive, microsoft word, etc), all physical (notebooks, printing out worksheets and assignment info, etc), or a blend (storing readings online, but handwriting notes, for example). consider making a list of your classes and noting where to find your work for each class, so if you store your work for architecture class online but your history class in 2 separate notebooks, you don’t waste time looking in the wrong place.

2. PLAN YOUR SCHEDULE

no, you don’t have to make a timetable for every minute of every day. but creating a general study schedule will allow you to mentally prepare for busy days and quickly see when you’re free.

use an online calendar or planner to block off class and study time. then, add other categories, such as: sleep, mealtimes, pet care, exercise, naps, writing, reading, clubs, or other regular obligations. i’m guilty of making mine too detailed and usually up completely blowing off my minute-by-minute schedule, so making a vague timetable and then adding categories as time goes on is probably your best bet. life happens, and you can’t account for everything. i also like to use post-its on my door or mirror to remind me what i absolutely need to get done at certain times!

3. DON’T IGNORE ‘OPTIONAL’ WORK

your professor records weekly lectures and assigns reading to go along with it. you’re tempted to do just one or the other - maybe you’re tempted to watch the lecture and skip the reading or take notes from the reading and skip the lecture. don’t do it!!! make it a goal to do both!!!

find ways to make undesirable work more bearable. can you listen to lectures while making dinner or going for a walk? how about taking notes while listening to your favorite movie soundtrack? for me, even getting cozy with some blankets, comfy clothes, and tea helps. anything that makes you dread schoolwork is a win!!

4. GET OFF THE INTERNET

i am SO guilty of spending most my time on either tumblr, instagram, or tiktok (endless fyp? no clock? yeahhh my screen time isn’t great). going on instagram when i wake up somehow turns into an hour of…doing what? i have no idea.

set reminders to do something without your phone. by this i mean: do not bring your phone with you. leave it at home when you go for a walk, don’t multitask watching a movie and answering emails, don’t browse social media while you eat. pick one or more ways to practice completely disconnecting for a while every day!. whether all of your classes are online or just a few (or none!), your brain really does need a break from screens. at the very least, try to avoid blue light before bed (yeah, i know you’ve heard this one before). for me, the tide app is a lifesaver, and i know a lot of you love forest. otherwise, set reminders using a calendar app or your alarm clock!

5. MONITOR AND CARE FOR YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

obviously miss rona has thrown a wrench in many of our plans for school, work, and life in general. if not, there’s no way it hasn’t impacted you in some way or another. pay attention to your thoughts, energy levels, and how you’re coping with recent changes. now’s a really good time to reach out for help if you’re able to; if not, there are various online resources and communities that might help you until you can. mental health support is for everyone.

some masterposts and resources that may be helpful:

mental health masterpost by @adelinestudiess

self-help masterpost by @self-care-club

being a student with mental illness by @celeztialstudies

and these mental health resources and hotlines

6. STAY CONNECTED ONLINE IF YOU CAN’T IN PERSON

the first month of my freshman year of college will be online, the rest of the semester will likely be online (though i will be on-campus), and i’m not allowed to see most of my friends. i’m guessing i’m not the only one! regardless of your personal situation, it can be really hard but so helpful to stay in touch with friends, family, and faculty. the first few months were full of zoom calls and virtual hangouts, but they might be dying down by now.

send letters, set up virtual calls with far-away friends, go to office hours, or video call family members. this might be the hardest one on this list, seeing as most of us are suffering from zoom burnout already. to avoid the potential stress of spontaneous socializing, try scheduling a call once a week at a regular time, asking your friends to facetime later, creating a weekly study group for your classes, watching netflix with someone using an extension like netflix party, texting acquaintances to check in, sending letters/emails to older family members, getting involved in an online community (this is studyblr promo :D) or making a goal to go to office hours once a week/twice a month, etc.

hopefully these gave you a few ideas on how you might get organized and tackle online classes this year!

some other studyblr masterposts to get inspired:

school cheat sheet by @jwstudying

school tips masterpost by @crimstudies

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