Tips for Beating the Back-to-School Blues or Butterflies

It’s that time of year again: stores have displays of rows and rows of notebooks, pens, pencil cases, glue sticks, and backpacks. While you may not be heading to the store with a class list from your teacher, going back to school can still be exciting, especially if you’re returning after a long period of time, or if you’re finally studying something you love. It can also be nerve-wracking and a little scary, and that’s okay.

Here are some tips for getting ready to go back to school and beating back to school blues or butterflies.

1. Be prepared! Find out your schedule, and if you’re on campus, make sure you know where you’re going ahead of time. This can save you time that first morning, and if you’re already familiar with the campus, you’ll feel a lot less apprehensive. If you’re doing an online program, talk with students who’ve done similar programs to find out how they managed their schedules, and come up with a plan of action for yourself – before you get all of your assignments.


2. Get to know your cohort. Often times, before school starts, the school or program will set up a group on social media with fellow classmates in your program. Utilize it! Get to know each other and forge connections – this will be important in graduate school and beyond.


3. Check out the school supplies anyway! Okay, so you may not be buying glue sticks or a lunchbox, but we all know how great new pens are – or the promise and inspiration of a fresh notebook. Why not buy a couple of new things to help ease into the school year?


4. Communicate. Talk with your job and/or family about work expectations, study plans, and how you plan on balancing obligations and what their expectations are, as well as yours. Doing this ahead of time will help with a smooth transition once school starts.


5. Stay healthy. It may not seem related, but as your schedule gets busier, eating right and/or exercising might fall by the wayside – both of which can impact your mood and ability to handle stress. Take the time to plan balanced and healthy snacks and meals, and remember to get some sort of regular exercise, even if it’s a nightly walk around the block. Check out our post on diet and stress here, and our post about apps for health here.


6. Set up supports. If you know ahead of time that your math skills are rusty, find your academic support center and look into getting a tutor. If you know your writing is out of practice, or that you’re unfamiliar with formatting styles, get in touch with an editing service like Thesis Editor. We can help with editing and formatting, research assistance, coaching and consultations, and more.

If you’re heading back to school, let Thesis Editor help! Contact us today to learn about the wide range of services we offer and how we can be of assistance.

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