The start of the spring semester is always a bit of a challenge. Most students are just coming back from anywhere between one and six weeks of vacation, relaxation, and catching up on sleep. Getting back into the swing of homework, sports, club meetings, and friends can be overwhelming and exhausting, so here’s a list of some “Do’s” and “Don’ts” for starting off the semester on the right foot.
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Do’s:
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Do make sure to create a schedule to keep yourself on track. This way, you’re organized, and you’re able to get yourself in the right mindset to get all of your work started.  This will help you get ahead of the game before the semester really gets into the swing of everything.
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Do make sure to take time during the day to get some sort of break from all of your activities. Whether that’s a workout, a nap, or whatever helps your mind and body breathe, make sure to dedicate some time to your mental health, so you don’t get stressed.
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Do try and ask for help or assistance if you feel like you’re unsure of certain things that you’re doing in your upcoming semester. Ask a parent, a friend, or even a guidance counselor or dean, because it can greatly improve how you feel. Getting advice can possibly help in changing your perspective on a particular challenge, or reduce uncertainties that you may be facing.
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Do make sure to take care of not only your mental health but also your physical health. No one wants to jump back into school or college with a cold or virus. Make sure to eat a healthy and balanced diet, and definitely don’t skip breakfast if you can help it. Keeping up with a regular meal schedule and getting the right nutrition will help regulate your body and ensure you wouldn’t be susceptible to catching a cold. These healthy behaviors also include getting enough sleep. In order to properly function throughout the day, the average student needs at least 7 hours of sleep. If you aren’t sleeping much, try and rearrange your schedule or get ahead on some of your work during the weekends to get to bed at an earlier time on weekdays.
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Don’ts:
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Don’t stay up really late during the school week indulging in Netflix or playing video games. Try to think about your workload and try to balance having fun with doing well academically, and in your extracurriculars too.
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Don’t be afraid to talk to your professors or advisors. Professors and other school staff are hired to help out their students and are usually really nice. Try to start a relationship with them, because they can help you do well in and out of school, as well as potentially being an ally down the road when you embark on your career path.
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Don’t stress out At the end of the day, what you do and how you do isn’t going to define you. How you feel and how hard you work is what matters, and as long as you go into whatever comes next with a good attitude and a willingness to work for what you want, then you should have a great semester ahead!