5 Ways to Prepare for a New Semester

It's a new year and a new semester is upon us! Back-to-school season has always been my favorite time of the year. I've always been that nerd who loves preparing for school. There's something about getting to stat fresh that motivates the crap out of me. 

Everyone has different ways of getting themselves ready, or little preparing by buying certain things, but there are a few things I think we all could do before starting a new semester. 

Purge

Last semester you collected a lot of things. Notebooks, post-its, random reciepts, none of which are important anymore. And, unfortuantely, during finals we're all so concerned with finsihing our exams and leaving that we don't take the time to go through our space. 

If you have the luxury, spend the day before classes start, or an afternoon during syllabus week, going through your dorm or bedroom and decluttering all of last semesters junk. 

Get New Supplies

MY FAVORITE PART. I love getting new colored pens, highlighters, and my three different kinds of black pens. (clearly I have a problem) After purging from last semester you'll know what you need to replenish and you can take a trip to Target [heaven] and stock up. 

Add Important Dates to Your Planner

I prefer to do this before classes start, but some professors don't release their syllabi until their first class. Whenever you get access start adding your assignments to your planner and shoot to have it finished by the end of sylllabus week. 

Also add in any exersize classes you know you'll be attending or any conferences or networking events you know you want to go to this semester. 

Clean Up Your Computer

You know how at the end of every semester it feels like your laptop is dying a slow painful death? It's because you've downloaded/uploaded/used on a soft surface/used for too many consecutive hours/etc. etc. etc. 

Take an hour and delete any documents you don't need. Transfer anything you want into an external harddrive, or dropbox, and go through your downloads and see if anything can be deleted. Also be sure to go through your applications; I noticed I had downloaded a bunch of apps onto my computer years ago that I don't even use anymore that have just been slowing it down. 

Go Snack Shopping

Stock up on some healthy grab-n-go snacks that you can bring with you to class. I always feel more prepared for the day when I know I have a seltzer and an Odwalla bar in my bag just incase so I don't have to buy something on campus.  

How are you preparing for next semester?

xoxo

AME