High School Survival Guide
Back to school: How to re-adjust to school after the holiday
By Tammy Sofranic
January must have flown by, and now school begins sooner rather than later. It's tricky because kick-starting a new routine and schedule is difficult.
Maybe you got used to sleeping in, doing what you want in the given moment, and watching TikToks or Netflix shows late into the night, but now all that must change. There are classes to attend, homework, house chores, and maybe you're back at sports or a job. So, how can you return to all that in the best possible way?
Follow through the next few steps, and you'll get a grip on it before you know it!
1. Plan, plan & plan
Whether you like the good old paper planner, Google or another app, all can help you get your time and life back on track. Whichever planner you use, make sure you put some time aside on a Sunday night to write down all your crucial to-do's and events for the week ahead. That paper is there for you to use, so instead of relying on memory, pencil it in and return to it daily if you can. This will help keep you on top of things, remember all your tasks, where you need to be, who to see and when.
With so much information thrown our way every day, it's easy to forget things. So keeping track in a calendar helps relieve a bit of burden from your brain, especially during a busy time after the holidays.
2. Set your alarms beforehand
You might disagree on this one, but your alarm is your friend! Yes, we all hate our alarms sometimes, but your alarm can serve you well if you're trying to get back on track or better organised.
Set your alarms for school, meal prep, exercise, or whatever is important that needs to be done at the time. That way, no matter how busy or distracted you become during the week, that alarm will buzz to remind you.
3. Prepare your outfits beforehan
If you aspire to be anything like David Beckham, prep your outfits in advance (more info about what Beckham does in his recent Netflix show, "The Beckham").
On a serious note, more celebrities and successful individuals have discussed this. Don't waste so much time daily on little decisions – like what to wear. Instead, plan your week (in line with the weather forecast) and make sure all the clothes you plan to wear for the week are washed, ironed, set aside, and ready to pick up and go.
This saves you time for changing your mind, contemplating outfits, last-minute washing, drying or ironing and then running late. We've all been there and don't want to return there again.
4. Sleeping & Eating – get that energy right
You need good energy to keep up and stay on top of a newly demanding schedule and errands.
Good energy mainly comes from quality sleep and nutrition. So, instead of running through the day on caffeine and crashing in the evening with a bunch of sugar and carbs, make some time to eat in the morning and mid-day to keep the energy more consistent. Of course, sipping water throughout the day is good for you, so keep a bottle or a portable cup nearby to remind you to drink it. If you're not into proteins and veggies, try to add a small amount to the mains; every little bit makes a difference.
On top of eating better and more frequently, sleeping is just as important. So, even though it's tempting and easy to scroll late into the night, try to become aware and put the phone down before it takes away your precious sleep. Whether it's the phone, gaming or watching TV, find what is stealing your time and night and try to reduce it or stop altogether if you can.
A calming night routine of stretching, meditating or reading will ensure a better night's sleep and a happier morning.
5. Give it time
As hard as you may try, remember that it may take a few days to a few weeks to feel like you're back on track, and that's okay, too.
If you follow through the four steps above, you should feel good and quickly get on top of things, but it can still take a little time.
Try your best and give your body and brain time to return to normal.
