Volume 67, Issue I

With the school year well on its way, it’s important to get organized early (because you may have been avoiding this) before the toll of homework and extra- curriculars take over. Here are a few tips to allow you to become the well-prepared and motivated student you want to be while keep- ing organized for the year ahead:

1. Start off with the best gear. Although it may be a little late for back to school shopping, it’s still important to have all the materials you need to keep each subject or assignment in check. Basi- cally, the goal is to be able to know where any handout you want is, and you can do this by color-coding binders, creating various homework/ handouts/ worksheet, etc. sections within them.

2. Start planning, ahead. That is, it can be extremely helpful to keep track of assignments, projects and tests on some sort of schedule or planner to be more aware of work that needs to get done. It’s important that you know when things are due before they’re due, and the best way to get large amounts of work done is by spreading it out. Getting into the habit of knowing when things are due is essential while the year is just starting, and it definitely will help out once midyear exams or finals arrive.

3. Lay out your clothes the night before, pack your bags early and make sure you bring a great lunch to school. Packing your things the night before is a great strategy if you’re not a morning person (like me), while bringing a delicious, healthy lunch can keep you full and focused for the rest of the school afternoon.

4. Also, remember not to stress your self out. School isn’t all just inside the classroom; find out about extracurriculars like clubs and sports that interest you. Extracurriculars can not only allow you to focus on something you find fun, like anywhere from chess strategy to making short films to playing golf for the school team, but they also allow you to meet new people and take your mind off your ordinary schedule.

5. Last, but not de nitely not least, don’t make school all about academics and activities. Though school is pretty much mandatory, you can enhance your experience by taking electives you enjoy or choosing core classes that you feel are manageable and are not too demanding. And make sure you plan enough free time for yourself to just relax!