It's really that time again, so here's a little list of things you can do to help you transition smoothly to the new year!
As we all know September is closing in very quickly which means school’s about to start! Before you go back, you should read my list of some things to remember just to make life a tad bit easier because we all know school is like prison! BTW, this does apply to everyone who’s in some form of education and can also be applied to your work as well. Use what you need! I hope this helps x
Plan your outfits Plan what you’re going to wear at night for the morning or plan over the weekend for the whole week just to make your mornings a little more smoother. This is great for the mornings when you may be running late. You then won’t have to be running around like a headless chicken trying to find something to wear. In that time you could have had breakfast instead. Often I’d be late to sixth form because 1. I wouldn't like waking up early and 2. I never knew what to wear in the mornings even though I only had a few clothing items that I could cycle through and 3. I’d literally just look like an idiot. So most days, I’d end up going to school on an empty stomach and hate myself for it because I couldn't concentrate as I didn't have the energy to do so. One of the reasons I was always waking up late was because I was in a very bad cycle of sleeping late so I wouldn't really get enough sleep and I didn't have the greatest of lifestyles either.
Always eat breakfast They always say it’s the most important meal of the day. You are going to need to provide your body with some sort of energy to tackle the day. You don't want to be feeling lethargic during your lessons and not being able to retain any information will just hinder your progress. I know there are some people who don't like eating breakfast in the morning as it makes them sick but you should always take something with you. There’s such a huge variety of things you could take with you in the morning to eat on the way or maybe during one of your breaks. For instance, belvita breakfast biscuits, Weetabix on the go, cereal bars, milkshakes; Yazoo, Frijj, smoothies (which can be made very quickly in the morning and are also healthy) or take fruit with you. Whatever you do, please have something to eat in the morning as you’ve already gone through a long period where you haven't eaten so give your body some energy to wake your system up as well. I know school isn't the most fun of places to be but just make your day a little brighter for yourself by having something to eat. You’ll be happier and you’ll be able to concentrate a lot more whilst in your lessons. Make your day easier where you can. If you're someone who’s running late often, just prep your meals at night before you go to bed. So what I mean by this is, if you eat cereal in the morning what you can do is set your bowl, spoon and cereal on the countertop and if you like drinking tea or coffee, you can then set up a mug/cup on the counter as well, next to your bowl. If you like having a smoothie in the morning, you can put some of the ingredients out on the counter - so basically just prep your meal over night!
Find a quiet place to study You can stay behind at school/college for an extra hour or two, study at the library, your local coffee shop (if it isn't dodgy), your garden, your grandparents’ house or maybe your bedroom (don’t sit on the bed though). It will allow you to have better concentration so you can finish your work quicker. This will give you more time in the evening to spend time on yourself. You can go watch Game of Thrones for 2 hours if you want because each episode is literally an hour long anyway or go onto YouTube or read that book that’s been on your mind for a while or paint if that’s what you want. You can spend that time preparing for the next day or go to bed earlier. The other thing I would suggest is to put away any distractions. For example, your phone, tablet etc. Turn them off and put them away in another room if you need to. The further away they are, the less you’ll be tempted to go on them. This way you can concentrate fully on your work and get it over with faster. You’ll be less stressed later as well. When you’ve done the work needed for the day, you’ll have the remaining time to then go on your phone or watch whatever you want and you won’t feel guilty about it either.
Find time to relax It’s really important that you take breaks at regular intervals to give your mind some time to relax. You don’t want to overwork yourself because that won’t help you at all and it will hinder your progress and results. Instead of overworking yourself, make a plan and fit breaks in it. For instance, you could revise for an hour and take a 10-15 minute break or could revise for either 20-30 minute and take a 5-10 minute break. In that time, you're resting your mind and body. Take a walk, go to the bathroom, drink some water, have a snack, take a quick nap or listen to music. Find time at the end of your day to wind down as well. Create a night routine for yourself that may be 30 minutes or an hour long, whatever works for you. Do a face mask, have a shower, lay out your clothes, read your book or paint or do whatever it is you want to do in that. That should be your time where you spend it on yourself! It’s also great for your mental health and overall wellbeing.
Shop the back-to-school sales These sales go up for a reason. Grab that opportunity and shop them! You’re going to find some really good deals out there and you’ll be saving money: what you buy now is cheaper than what the prices for these items will be after. Wilkinson does up to half price sale on their stationary so go shop there as well as other places! Don't be that person who does their shopping last minute because 1. you won’t find what you need and 2. you’ll be stressing because you don't have what you want and 3. you’re probably then going to have to buy what you need at full price. Save money where you can! There are some things which you would need to buy that are better quality like paints for example so don't bother buying the really cheap ones. There are some things which you can DIY to your taste which are cheaper than having to spend £10-15 on some stationary. Also, if you're someone who doesn't use the diary or journals that the school provide, rather than spending £5-10 or more on them, perhaps you could try the bullet journal. This way you can personalise it to yourself.
Ask for help if you’re struggling If there is something you don't understand, don't be someone who doesn't ask for help until the last minute. Ask as soon as you can if there is something you’re struggling with. This is better in the long run as you won’t need to waste time trying to learn something again and instead you can spend that time revising.
Try your best Always put the maximum effort into your work. There will be things that you struggle and that’s fine. It’s the process of learning and you are learning something new. Don’t put yourself in a negative mindset because you're not helping yourself in any way. Try again, take a break from what you're doing and then come back to it.
Prioritise your mental health Always find time to spend on yourself. You need to take care of your mental being as well. This is something a lot of people forget to do. If you’re feeling stressed or anxious, figure out why you have those emotions and take the necessary steps to calm yourself down. It’s really not good to hold that in because prolonged stress can lead to depression.
Have fun Find an activity that you can do with your friends or by yourself. It really is important that you do something that is enjoyable because life isn't meant to be taken so seriously. So yeah, you should find the time to do the things that bring joy into your life.