The calendar is flipped to the month of August and that means that most of us are facing a massive case of back-to-school blues: the dread of sticking our noses back in the grind after a long holiday and the distaste of going back to scheduling our lives around modules – the inertia from the lazy summer can be hard to shake off. We just wish it was June again so we could escape back into the blissfulness of doing nothing.
But a new semester is a fresh start and a chance to relook how you approach school. Starting school on the right note can mean the difference between a blah semester and a great one. So here are some tips to get over your summer and ease yourself back into school life:
1. Have a schedule (and stick to it)
This may sound simple enough. We often start a new semester with the good intentions of completing our readings as planned. Yet when the exams come around, we find ourselves facing a mountain of notes with very little time. Here’s when having a schedule would help. For the first few weeks, plan out when you would need to finish certain tasks and stick to the timeline you set. This will help you get back into the routine of being in school and definitely banish that feeling of being overwhelmed when midterms come round.
2. Make an effort to try something new
Just because the holidays are over does not mean that we still can’t have
fun. Set aside some time each week to meet with friends and do something different. For instance, explore a part of Singapore you’ve never been to or pick up a new sport or activity you have always wanted to try. As clichéd as it sounds, variety is the spice of life.
3. Start the day right
We have all heard this at one point or another: “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” – and for good reason. It has been proven that breakfast helps with the ability to concentrate, to be creative and generally to just perform better. Plus, breakfast eaters are also more likely to consume fewer calories throughout the day. So make the time for breakfast, even if it means preparing something to take with you the night before.
4. Reset your body clocks
Sleeping late and waking up when we please is no longer an option if we have an 8 a.m. class every Monday. It might be a good idea to start getting used to an earlier bedtime to avoid feeling cranky and groggy when we have to set the alarm for a 6 a.m. wake-up call. Our bodies need a minimum of 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. Any less than that and our moods, performance and alertness would be affected.
5. Fake it till you make it
It’s natural to feel reluctant towards the return to school. However, having a positive perspective can really make a difference. So take a deep breath and get yourself excited for a new beginning. Even small things like a new notebook or a new outfit to wear can go a long way to helping you look forward to the start of the semester.