Back to School 101!

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Our Guest Blogger is Daisha, one of our great tutors!

It has finally reached August, and that means that it is none other than back to school season! Everything from the ads on TV to the sales in your local grocery store or Target will let you know of its impending doom. But while it may seem like this time of year is dreaded for some students, for many others it’s a highly anticipated time of year. I myself will be starting my very last year of undergrad, so I am more than excited to take this upcoming year by storm. And everyone could stand to use a little bit of help on how to have the most successful school year possible. So here are some tips to help you survive through a brand new school year at University, whether you’re a freshman, senior, graduate student or whoever- these tips will be helpful for you!

Plan out your classes!

You want to make sure that you are taking classes that will satisfy requirements for your, whether that be general electives or major requirements. So make sure that you are up to date on all of the classes you need, and once registration time drops don’t hesitate to sign up for them. Getting classes (especially when you’re a Sophomore) can feel like a war. So you’ll always want to show up to your registration date on time to make sure that the classes don’t fill. And you know yourself better than anyone, so if you feel more inclined to take afternoon classes then JUST DO IT. I personally prefer taking early afternoon classes because it’s easier for me to pay attention, but each person is unique; so make sure you are attuned to yourself so that you know your own preferences.

Try something new!

College is all about trying out new things. You’re in a whole new environment, and even if you are a commuter or living in the dorms or apartments around campus- you can get involved! There are tons of different clubs and organizations that colleges offer that are bound to fit the need of most individuals. And this is often a way that students can make new friends and create lasting relationships. As well, study abroad is also an opportunity that students should take advantage of (if they can) while still in college. Not only will it introduce you to a new culture, you will be able to make new friends, networks, and possibly expand on your professional experience and resume as well. And while it’s never too late to travel abroad, doing it while still in school can definitely be a more affordable option. So it should definitely be something to take into consideration when exploring the different options that college life has to offer!

Take care of yourself and your academics

While it may be important for you to study while in college, it’s also important that you get enough relaxation time and rest. You don’t want to run yourself dry to the point where you wipe yourself out and can’t even adequately pay attention in class. That will ultimately lead to bad grades and huge amounts of stress overall. Make sure to actively plan out your study time, and to also give yourself time for a break to recuperate. And on the topic of classes, make sure that you don’t take too many. That can also cause a lot of unnecessary stress, and can also be the stem of bad grades if the burden is too heavy. So make sure to be attentive of whether or not your class load, and study plan are right for you.

Find a study plan that suits you!

This can be very important depending on the type of student you are. Sure, some people really don’t need to study and can get by with studying the day before, but for a lot of us this is NOT the case. You’ll want to make sure that you can gauge the difficulty of each of your classes, and how long you should spend on studying for each of them. Giving yourself adequate study time will be important to help you decide on which classes you will need to spend most of your study time on, and how you can best prepare to make sure that you get the best grades that you possibly can. Trust me, with the right amount of planning and effort, even the hardest of classes can become manageable.

Explore your campus

Make sure to explore your campus BEFORE the first day of classes, no matter what year you are. Whether or not your campus is big or small, often times it’s nearly impossible to know the location of every building on campus. And it would definitely be not only embarrassing, but in some cases detrimental, to show up late on your first day of classes cause you couldn’t figure out where the building or the room was. So make sure to do your research beforehand.

All in all, back to school season can be a stressful time of year, but ultimately it will be rewarding in the end. At PEERS edu, students who are wanting to improve on their English speaking abilities can do so through the use of person to person tutoring! This can allow you to better utilize these tips, but creating the proper study plan that will be right for you. As well, you can discuss these sort of topics with the tutor of your choice anytime, and anywhere. So come visit PEERS edu today in order to take advantage of the world’s largest study group!

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