Monday, 16 July 2018

By ASP School Projects

The holidays have been great, but now it is time to continue your academic journey.

After spending a long while away from school doing all kinds of fun and exciting activities it sure is hard for most children to wrap their heads around the idea of getting back into school mode. Who can blame them? It is obviously a lot more fun for children to play outside, visit friends and to express themselves through their hobbies than to spend hours in a classroom behind textbooks – and a few more doing homework and studying when they get back home. Luckily we have a few ideas that will help them to get comfortable with their academic routine again.


Back to school tips:
1. Take it easy, one day at a time.
2. Catch up with friends.
3. Get into a routine.
4. Plan ahead with a customised calendar.
5. Become friendly with teachers.


1. Take it easy, one day at a time.

Classes, homework assignments and other commitments related to school can get overwhelming pretty quickly. While it is definitely a good idea to be prepared for your classes and start working from day one you shouldn’t stress yourself out about it. The first few days are always somewhat disorganised. It is quite normal – even teachers are still finding their way back to their regular routines. Don’t throw yourself into the deep end from day one. Abraham Lincoln once said, “The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.” Pacing yourself is crucial if you want to win this academic race. You don’t want to burn out during the first week. When you go from having almost zero stress to high levels of stress in such a small span of time, you won’t allow your body to adjust to the heavy workload. Your immune system can weaken and you stand a chance to get ill. You won’t be able to function properly and will almost certainly fall behind schedule, which will only add to your stress for the rest of the school term.


2. Catch up with friends.

Chances are that you have spent a ton of time with your friends during the holiday. Maybe you have taken the time to visit friends from other schools that you don’t see very often or maybe you have made some new friends this holiday. Take the time to reconnect with everyone else that you haven’t seen during your break. They will be happy to see you. When you see familiar faces at school your brain will automatically make the connection that you are here at school to learn and so are they. Remember that they go through the same emotions of uncertainty and reluctance to be back. At least that is something you already have in common! Tell them about your holiday and ask them about theirs. Being on good terms with your peers is never a bad thing. You may have to ask them a favour later during the term. This also gives you an opportunity to find a study buddy. Good friends won’t only benefit your social life, but can also help you to improve your grades. Look for people who are hard-working that you can relate to. You don’t have to find the smartest person in the room. Just someone who is dedicated and pleasant to be around with. Things will get tough sooner or later, and it will definitely help to have someone around that is going through the same challenges as you. They’ll need the support just as much as you do. After all, that’s what friends are there for.


3. Get into a routine.

During the holidays routine is not a priority for most. Children like to sleep in a bit later and also go to bed well beyond their regular bedtime. Almost everything is disrupted… Eating habits, exercise schedules and more. Having a routine set out will instantly help when you are trying to readjust to your class schedules and extracurricular activities. Set your alarm clock to wake up at a specific time every day and also for when you have to get ready for bed. Get into the habit of planning out your meals and eating at regular times. It will also definitely help to pack your school bag and get your clothes ready the night before. You don’t want to wake up the morning on time and still be late for school because you couldn’t find anything.


4. Plan ahead with a customised calendar.

Along with getting into a routine, it will help if you plan out your day, week and month. This will help you to keep up with your routine and manage your time better. We have an entire article titled ‘Four tips to help you set up a schedule for a successful school year’ which will help you set up a schedule that will suit your needs. Remember everyone is different.

Tip: Seeing a math test coming up in a stylish daily planner will definitely make it feel less uninspiring. You will feel more positive if everything is organised and neat. Just don’t spend more hours decorating the pages of your planner instead of actually finishing your assignments.


5. Become friendly with teachers.

Every child has a favourite teacher. You give your best in their class; you are always on time and your homework is always completed to the best of your abilities. Some teachers you like better than others and unfortunately there are also one or two teachers who seem to give you a hard time even if you didn’t do anything wrong. Teachers influence your dedication toward their subjects as well as your grades. You are only human. Your emotions sometimes get in the way and you don’t think clearly. You shouldn’t allow your performance and dedication to be influenced as much by the personality of a teacher. It doesn’t help that you get a distinction in one subject and fail the rest. It means that you won’t develop your mind in all crucial areas, and unfortunately miss out on an awful lot. Remember that teachers are also going through personal issues. If they are having a bad day just brush it off. Don’t let other children influence you into thinking that they are the worst ever. Just maintain a friendly and professional teacher-student relationship. Be friendly and polite to every teacher. Not only is it good manners to show them respect, but they are there to teach you. Education is valuable. Teachers will be more likely to help you out if you struggle with something or give you a simple exam tip if you are friendly with them and work hard in their class. They will notice. Don’t be a bootlicker though. They, as well as other students, will notice that too.


We trust that these tips will help you get back into school mode. Let us know if you have any other ideas for setting yourself up for a great school term.

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