Back To School 2017: Tips And Advice For The Coming Year

The dog days of summer are quickly waning and the start of school is just around the corner. Getting back into the swing of things can be tough as students transition out of beautiful summer days and into the rigors of class work. The following are tips and advice to achieving the most successful possible.

1. Have the right supplies.

One way to eliminate stress is to have the right supplies. Coming prepared helps you stay organized rather than spending time trying to get the correct supplies together. As for text books, this applies to education at any level: Having the book on time means staying on top of readings and course work.

Gabrielle Flank, a life coach and childhood cancer survivor advised consulting a teacher to ensure that no needed supply goes overlooked.

“I highly suggest getting folders and binder with patterns and designs to make note taking more fun,” said Flank to Huffington Post. “During the first day of class, most teachers will tell you everything they require for their courses. Make sure that you get the specified supplies so that you are able to keep up with the class work and stay organized.”

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2. Have a plan and set goals.

Students often have a busy calendar and must balance school work, family time, friends, sports, extracurricular activities and dozens of other obligations. A good way to efficiently navigate a full school work load while maintaining a healthy life balance is to plan. To-do lists and calendars take the guess work out of daily activities.

Another way to feel invested in your own education and personal growth is to set goals. Goals give a student something to work towards and something to measure achievements against.

"Preparation, routines and limits are (a student's) best friends. This goes for homework, sleep, social media/screen time, sports, lessons and socializing," Fern Weis, a parent coach and educator, told International Business Times.

3. Relax.

Analysis paralysis is a condition for which over-analysis prevents a person from making a decision. When students stress about the amount of work they have to do, it can often be hard to know where to begin. Taking time to recharge and relax can help students to better tackle their work load.

Students can also try and put things they have no control over out of their heads as well to avoid the extra stress.

"You are responsible for you. This is the only thing you have complete control over. Empower yourself each day," said Randi Levin, a transitional life coach to International Business Times.

Parents too can help their kids take a breather before getting back into a work load.

"Give your kids time to decompress after school. Their brain needs time to shift gears and rest a bit. It's called a 'state change', and can help them focus again on academics," said Weis.

4. Don’t procrastinate.

Leaving a mountain of work until the last minute often means students aren't handing in their best work and a whole lot of unnecessary stress. Starting early and planning out a work load is the best way to have time to revise work and do the best on assignments without having to panic about quickly approaching deadlines. It also helps avoid cramming at the last minute and possibly missing out on non-school related activities.

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5. Break things up.

Looking at a giant project with a deadline a few months away can often leave students wondering where to begin. It is often helpful to break projects down into smaller components and work on them one step at a time. Often by doing so, the project appears much more manageable and eliminates some stress. Students also can feel an emboldening sense of accomplishment by being able to cross off the smaller components of a large project.