Tips and Tricks to start the school year right

Greetings to a new school year! Whether you are just starting college, or are a returning student, you most likely feel so stressed and confused as to everything that is so new. This feeling is completely normal. Although we hoped that the ongoing pandemic would be long over before this new school year, it is still very much in effect. This past school year was a big adjustment for a lot of us. Although, we do learn from trial and error. Even though many of us started our first year in college last year under new health guidelines and stricter rules, I argue that I still learned a lot from my time on campus. The majority of what I learned was how to manage stress and ongoing responsibilities. So let me share some of my wisdom on how to stay balanced this school year.

1. SLEEP.

A Lot of people may look at this and laugh, “of course I’m going to sleep”, you may be thinking. You dear reader may not be that surprised to find out however that the average college student gets an average of about 6.5 hours of sleep. Which if you didn’t know is really low. It’s no secret that sleep is essential to us humans running smoothly throughout our day. Not getting enough sleep takes a toll on mental health. Lack of sleep reduces cognitive performance, memory capacity, and social competence, said by a study by the University of Georgia. Basically, everything a new college student needs to be functioning. So, don’t be shy to kick out your friends from your dorm to catch up on your sleep!

2. Eat healthily.

It’s no secret that on campus, students don’t have much of a choice of what they eat. Many dining halls, however, do have a diversity of different things to eat. Also, make sure to eat a healthy diet. Planning healthy meals in advance can help students save time and money. If you are at-will of what the dining hall serves, check the menu online ahead and go over the ingredients used!

3.  Keep yourself organized.

Although everyone works in their own different terms, it works best to make sure that your own workspace is clean and organized to your content. Whether you like your desk area to be a mess, if it makes it possible for you to think better, then make sure you have the supplies you enjoy. Making sure that your workspace is going to allow you to work is one of my biggest pieces of advice. 

4.  Be open to communication.

One thing you will have to learn while attending college is that you have to be flexible with others. College is different from high school in that you are able to choose who you want to spend your time around, you get the choice of being involved with whatever you want to! So whenever you are feeling unheard, make sure to communicate with that person about how you’re feeling and come to a conclusion on the matter. Never keep your feelings held in, you are entitled to make yourself heard. 

5.  Join clubs!

I know I sound crazy, but joining clubs my freshman year made my school year that more memorable. It kept me able to do something other than worry constantly about my grades. With getting to know more people and creating more friendships, it was really refreshing to have something to do after classes and something to dedicate me to after classes would end. 

6.  Always ask for help.

College is all about being independent and making your own way. By having the weight of all your education rest on you, making sure you go to bed on time, making sure you eat enough, it’s all on you. But just because you are getting used to being on your own, doesn’t mean you have to stop asking for help. Colleges have so many resources at their disposal for their students. Resources such as therapy and tutoring help students with their workload. By taking advantage of these usually free to students resources, it can help lighten the load and keep the student feeling positive about their future.