When August arrives, students become aware of how quickly it approaches and its inevitability: the first week of school. We may spend most of the summer in denial and tend to avoid back-to-school advertisements but, in the end, it is coming and there’s nothing we can do to avoid it. However, I’ve got some tips to help survive the first week.

    The most important rule of survival is preparation (physical as much as mental). Once you’ve received your schedule, go to the school website and check out your teachers’ profiles, see their syllabuses, and find out what materials they require for class. After doing so, it’s time to go shopping for materials. Hopefully, by now you’ve gone through the previous years’ materials and recycled as many binders as possible. I recommend you go in the afternoon with another student so you have plenty of time to explore supply stores. As long as you’re in good company, this seemingly boring task can turn into an entertaining trip. Organize yourself and your materials because this will make the week much easier (I promise).

    After organizing yourself, relax, take a moment to check that you’ve correctly completed your summer homework, set out your uniform for the first day, and pack your backpack. It’s much better to have everything ready the night before, just in case. 

As for the rest of the week here are some of my favorite tips:

• Don’t do allnighters (at least for this first week).
• Wake up with enough time for breakfast so you can survive until lunch.
• Get at least two classmates’ numbers in each of your periods (because you never know when you’ll need them).
• Turn in all the paperwork from the school and your teachers signed as soon as possible.
• Bring lunch or bring money but don’t let yourself go hungry.
• Try to not get your phone taken away (seriously just put it away, unless it’s an emergency).
• Bring pens and pencils because you never know what your teachers may prefer.
• Try not to run in the hallways (it’s already a tight walking space as is).
• Keep an agenda on you at all times to stay organized.
• Memorize your schedule quickly.
• If you’re new or lost, just ask for help finding a class.
• Make sure to establish a quiet study space at home.
• Mentally prepare yourself for failure in order to learn from your mistakes.
• Juniors and Seniors: have a general idea of what universities you’re interested in and be aware of all their deadlines and pre-college opportunities.
• Find more information about extracurricular activities that interest you.
• Be aware of volunteering opportunities inside and outside of school.

So good luck and remember, this year will be a great year if you’re willing to make it one.