#uni-net

1. reset your sleep schedule. chances are, you've completely messed up your sleep schedule over the summer (especially if you don't have a 9-5 job). take some time (a week or so?) to force yourself to bed at a reasonable hour and force yourself to get up around the time you'd need to for school. it'll make it just that much easier to get to school on the first day if you're not waging war in your bed before you even leave the house ;)

2. new school supplies! i think it's safe to say that most of the studyblr community (if not the whole world) likes school supply shopping. we're kind of stationery geeks. but that doesn't mean you have to spend a fortune. you don't need to go and get mildliners and staedlers and muji notebooks. if you want to and have the budget, go for it. if not, here's how to make your stuff feel new + trendy without breaking the bank:

>>> diy is your friend. one of my favorite ways to have cute, but cheap supplies is to make it myself. you can do a simple collage for your binder/notebook cover or use paint if that's more your style. my personal favorite through the years is to use decorative duct tape. you could also use washi (especially if you have a notebook with a paper cover). with just one roll of duct tape, you can customize a bunch of notebooks. i like to use an exacto knife to cut different sized strips/geometric shapes and stick them on in fun geo patterns.

>>> not everything needs to be new. i touched on this in my college dorm shopping guide but this also applies here. i reuse a lot of my supplies (ex: pens, pencils, notebooks) so i usually don't have to buy all that much. if you only need a couple notebooks and a binder, then maybe you can splurge a little and get the cuter versions since you're reusing all your other supplies.

3. reorganize something or (if you're ambitious) everything. this is another way to "reset" for the new year. if you haven't already gone through your old school work, start with that. i like to reorganize my room/closet as well as my desk. going through your backpack/pencil case is also great. throw away things that are old or don't work and maybe start filling your drawers/pockets with your supplies for the new school year. this helps me to feel on top of things and gives me a clean slate.

4. set goals. goal setting can be a way to get you motivated and more organized. i think setting goals forces you to really evaluate what's ahead (do you have a really hard class? tight schedule?) and focus on how to overcome obstacles you forsee. if you're taking a notoriously hard class and decide your goal is to get a good grade, you can start planning on how to do that. planning every little detail (which is super unnecessary and will probably get disregarded) makes me feel more ready to tackle school.

>>> disclaimer: this isn't really something i do. my goals are generally very long term (and don't change much), so they're already ingrained in me and i don't really have to think about what they are. 

5. plan. as mentioned above, i tend to try to plan every little thing before school starts. it gives me a sense of security. if you're not crazy like me, just regular planning is good too. any big things going on in your schedule? when are marching band try outs? you're going to want some sort of system to keep organized once the year starts, so might as well get a jump start. 

6. compare schedules with friends. one of the highlights of school (for a good amount of people) is getting to see friends. see if you have classes together and maybe you'll get a little more excited. suffering is always a little more bearable in numbers.

>>> ok this can also backfire if you don't have classes with friends, so be aware of that. you can view these classes as ways to meet new people. or, if you're an antisocial hermit like me, you can use these classes as quiet/alone time to get work done or work on personal projects. 

7. get advice from upperclassmen. though it might seem daunting to ask upperclassmen things, especially if you don't really know them, they are truly fountains of knowledge. well, not all of them. try to find one with common interests/goals as you otherwise their advice/experiences might not be relevant to you. asking upperclassmen can help you get a feel for the class/teacher and help you find little tricks to get through things more easily. honestly, upperclass friends are pretty invaluable. 

so i realize a lot of this advice is about how to get prepared, but that's usually the best way for me to "get into" (read: steel myself for) school. i find a lot of security in preparedness, but even if you don't, i hope this was helpful. best of luck! xoxo, m

Don’t want to dress up for class? Fine. Some do, some don’t. Wear what you’re comfortable in.

Want to hook up? Make sure your friends know where you’ll be just in case, and have fun. Don’t want to hook up? Don’t force yourself to. If anyone forces you, that person is wrong and the scum of the earth.

Don’t want to drink? Don’t force yourself. If anyone forces you, that person is an asshole.

Want to drink? Have fun, drink lots of water along the way, stick with friends. Don’t get blackout, measure your shots (DO NOT drink straight from the bottle. It’s gross, hard to keep track of, and makes you look like a mess.), and remember that alcohol’s hazy glow makes things you wouldn’t ever consider when sober seem appealing. Be careful.

Bring a chair or something for your room. Friends will want places to sit, and you’ll want an alternative to your bed/desk chair eventually. There are some cute foldable chairs out there.

 Do your own work. On time. Preferably according to a schedule so you don’t procrastinate and pull all-nighters.

 Library is full/ don’t like the atmosphere? Search for alternate study spaces. There will be plenty.

Speaking of all-nighters, don’t do them unless absolutely necessary. Most of the time, they aren’t. If you must, try to keep them for times when you won’t have class the next day, because you will feel like death incarnate.

Starbucks has those cans of double-shot espresso + protein. You’ll stay awake, finish your paper, and catch a glimpse of whatever upper power you believe in at the cost of fine motor skills and your will to live. Don’t drink them unless you’re used to caffeine already.

People have some wild methods of staying awake, but the best method is getting a good night’s sleep. Sleep. Just sleep.

Don’t do drugs. If you want to try, find RELIABLE friends (who will stay with you to ride out your high and help you come down) and a SAFE SPACE. Really really want to try getting high? Stick to weed. NOTHING ELSE.

TBH just don’t do drugs.

Do not feel pressured to reinvent yourself. There will be social-climbey people. Those kinds of people seldom have genuine friendships with their 100000 friends. Hang out with people you genuinely like, and respect everyone. Don’t force yourself to become someone you aren’t.

Sometimes, studying with your best friends is more distracting than productive. Study with other friends, or by yourself.

Exercise. It’s hard sometimes, I know (I run I die). However, it makes you feel better, and if you don’t watch your snacking, the freshman 15 will appear.