Posted on 5th September 2011

Back to School

Sadly the summer holiday is drawing to a close, and in the next few days thousands of students will have to abandon lie-ins and homework-free days, as it is time to return to school.

Although the end of the summer is a bit mournful, the start of the academic year is always full of promise and potential. Even though I left school quite a few years ago now, September still feels like the start of something new and exciting.

As it is a type of new year, here are some resolutions you might want to consider adopting in order to make it the most fruitful academic year to date.

1. Keep your diary nice and neat.
Most schools give you a homework diary, but if not then nip down to a shop and get yourself a decent-sized planner. Fill in key dates such as the start and end of term, coursework deadlines, and hockey matches etc. Then, as you get set homework, note down when it is set and when it is due. As you complete homeworks, tick them off. Staying organized will minimise stress and help to keep you on top of your workload.

2. Get plenty of sleep.
As tempting as it is to watch ‘just one more episode’ of your favourite box set and stay up late into the night, if you don’t get enough sleep your brain can’t function properly. Find a sleep pattern that works for you and stick to it as best you can.

3. Don’t put off homework.
Although it’s good to have a bit of a rest when you arrive home from school, don’t leave your homework until too late each evening. The later you leave it, the more tired you will get and the harder it will be to produce quality work. When you get home, have a snack and a cup of tea and then try and get your homework out of the way. After that you can enjoy a stress-free evening and not have work hanging over your mind.

4. Be healthy.
I am a strong believer in the ‘healthy body, healthy mind’ principle. Make sure you get plenty of exercise each week and don’t consume too much junk food. Having a balanced diet will give you lots of energy to be able to concentrate during lessons.

5. Keep your notes in order.
On an average school day you will write down hundreds of notes on a variety of different subjects. Even though it is hard to think about summer exams at the start of a school year, you know deep down that they will eventually arrive. If you don’t look after your notes, you will panic in May when you need to revise everything your teacher taught you, and other people’s notes never make as much sense as your own. Keep them in good order and put them in separate folders, and come revision time you will be as happy as Larry with all of you beautifully categorized lesson notes.

6. Make sure all of your belongings are named!
You don’t want to lose your barnd new netball skirt in the first week of term, so make sure all of your kit has your name in. It can be a pain to have to label everything, but better that then losing you things.

7. Try something new.
Why not join a new after-school club to stimulate your mind? Find out what’s on offer and get stuck in. Be it learning Mandarin, lacrosse, baking or circus skills, you might find a secret talent.

We wish you all the best with the new academic year!