We all know transitioning back into college and on-campus life can be hard after a well-deserved summer at home. So, what are some things we can do to prevent and reduce the stress of moving back to school and starting new classes? Well, here are some tips!
Create a Packing List
One of the most stressful events on move-in day is realizing you forgot something important at home. One of the best ways to prevent this is doing your best to stay organized and create a big list of all your essentials you need to pack to move back into school and cross items off as you pack!
maintain a good sleep schedule
As move-in day and the first day of classes are fast approaching, do your best to adjust back into a healthy 8+ hour sleep schedule. We all know over the summer with work, vacation, and hanging out with friends, our sleep schedules can change. However, trying to get into the habit of a healthier sleep schedule can make the transition was smoother and less stressful. Specially make sure you get a full night’s sleep the night before move-in day to allow your body to be well rested for the day ahead!
learn your class schedule ahead of time
With the commotion and stress of move-in day, the importance of learning your schedule can most of the time be overlooked! For me, the best way to make sure that I am prepared for the first day of classes is to map out the locations of my classrooms and make sure I know what classes I have and at what time. The time that I find is the best time to do this is the night before the first day of classes. Take a half an hour or so with your friends the night before to go explore campus and plan out where your classes will be and how you want to get there beforehand, so you are less stressed and rushed the day of!
Be organized while moving in
We all know that move-in day always has chaotic written all over it. With fellow students and your own roommate all moving in at the same time as you, it can cause a good amount of stress. In addition, once you get all of your belongings piled into your room, it can be extremely overwhelming with what to do first. The remedy I have personally found to make it less overwhelming is making a plan before you arrive on what you want to unpack first and where you want/need things to go. In my experience, it has always been the easiest to set up your room how you want it first before unpacking. For example, making sure your bed is lofted if you’d like/need the extra storage, and figuring out where the best places to put your desk and dresser are to make your dorm as comfortable for you as possible. In addition, if you can, labels are one of the most helpful things when it comes to knowing which bag or box has what inside it. Lastly, if you can, talk to your family before you arrive on how you would like to unpack and plan out together what you would like to get done first!
Remember that you are human
Move-in and transitioning back to school is stressful, we all know that. The best thing you can do for yourself through that first week of adjustment is remember that everyone else is most likely just as stressed or anxious as you are and it’s completely normal! Give yourself time to fully adjust and get back into the swing of things because most of the time it won’t all come back to you the second you step back onto campus. In addition, if the transition back is harder than anticipated, know that there are always on campus resources whose sole purpose is to help make things easier and there are always people you can talk to. You’ve got this!