How to start the school year on the best foot

As we head into August, the start of the next school year is lurking just around the corner, and you might be starting to get ready to start your next academic year. Here are some tips and tricks to help you start the school year on the best foot possible.

Organisation

An organised student is a good student, and to really make sure that you are starting the school year in the best way possible, organisation is key.

There are loads of ways to up your organisation game, so I’ll list a few top tops here:

• Set some time aside in the evening to make sure that your bag is packed with everything you need for the next day
• Get a diary or a notebook that you dedicate to writing your homework down in, so you never forget an assignment or test again
• Get your uniform or clothes out the night before - no more panic searching for socks or your tie at 7am!
• Stick with me here - but you need a tidy room. I don’t want to seem like I’m pestering you, but a tidy room is a tidy mind (as the old saying goes…) and by keeping your space organised, you will find that you become more organised in a sort of organisation-osmosis way…

Timetabling

Following on from organisation, making sure that you organise your time is just as important. Create a timetable of all your classes, when they are, and where they are, and stick this somewhere you will be able to access during the whole day. It could be on the back of your phone case (if you are allowed phones at school), or inside your planner or folder. This will ensure that you are on time to classes, and that you keep track of your assignments and what you need to bring with you to school the next day!

You could also create a timetable or calendar for when you are at home. Split a piece of paper or a document into sections and add in the times you are at school or doing an extracurricular activity. Make sure your timetable is placed somewhere visible so you never forget anything and can stay on time - maybe on the back of your bedroom door, or on the wall near your desk. Don’t forget to block in time to do your homework, and time to do things you love, or even just time to sit on your bed and scroll through TikTok…

Positive mindset and good mental health

The biggest tip I have for starting the school year on a good foot is to have a positive mindset. This means looking after your mental health, and ensuring that you care just as much for your physical and mental health. If your leg hurts, you would rest it, so you should apply this attitude to your mental wellbeing too!

Make sure you get enough sleep, and schedule time to do the things you love - don’t let school work and academia overwhelm you. Try to get 8 hours of sleep per night, and allow yourself to have a break in the evening. You could go to an extracurricular club, or watch some TV, or read a book that has nothing to do with school. This way you won’t burn out and find yourself becoming bored or annoyed with school - life is all about balance!

You could make sure that you are spending time with family and friends, or doing something you find relaxing. Getting enough exercise can be a great way to destress and to get away from your screen for an hour or two, and you could even exercise with friends to make it a social event too!

Keep on top of your work

Staying on top of your work is vital to having a great year at school. Be sure to complete all your homework on time - it is a helpful rule to have to try and get your homework done the night it is set if you can. This means that the work never seems to just pile up into an unmanageable heap of algebra and Shakespeare essays…

If you were set pre-reading, or work to do over the summer, be sure to complete this before you go back. Starting on the right foot academically will help everything else fall into place as you go into a new year.

Or if you find a concept tricky, go through it after school and really try to understand it. This will ensure that you don’t fall behind, and you can keep up with all the new information your teachers will be throwing at you! If you are struggling with maths, download the EasyA app to be matched up with one of our brilliant tutors for help with your homework or anything you are struggling with.

I hope that these tips helped, and that you have the best school year you can! Be sure to check out the other posts on the EasyA blog, and to download the EasyA app. Get in touch with us if you have any more questions - we look forward to hearing from you!