With all the barbeques by the pool, beachy Snapchat stories and “baecations” transitioning to buying textbooks, and all the other perks that come with being a college kid, are most likely the least of everyone’s worries right now. However, whether everyone’s ready or not, the fall semester is right around the corner and with it the reality of what lies ahead! But there’s no need to stress about it. Here are five basic tips that will have every student ready for the semester in no time:
- Textbooks: Obviously, finding out what books are needed early doesn’t always work out as planned, as things such as syllabi availability and who’s teaching that semester come into play. When that happens, log onto your school’s bookstore website and sign up for textbook availability alerts. Once you enter in your class CRN number along with a few other components, students can sign-up for notifications.
Photo by Google Images Once the textbooks are available, compare and contrast the prices by searching on websites such as Amazon, Chegg, Barnes & Noble and Bookrenter . At that point, there should be a ballpark idea of how much one should expect to spend and save for books this semester. In order to save even more, students might be interested in rental or used options, as websites such as Amazon claims to offer up to 90 percent off on textbooks.
- Get back on schedule: As with preparation for anything, an adequate amount of rest is vital to properly function day in and day out, especially during a busy school year. So before hitting up the next summer party, relax, chill and get some sleep. It’s essential for the mind, body and soul. Students should try to train their bodies to sleep at a decent hour before school starts to ensure that they can make resting up a good habit while they still can.
Photo by Google Images - Time management: Another key to starting the semester off right is simply keeping track of time. Students can stay on top of it all. There’s no reason to start the semester off behind! It all startswith simple scheduling and organization. Whether you use a traditional planner, an alarm or a calendar reminder on your smartphone, you can do it all while giving yourself a little peace of mind.
- Set a budget: If you’re an incoming freshman, make a list of all the school supplies you need, then check it twice. Once that is done, make note of your maximum spending limit and be frugal. If you’re a returning student then (hopefully) you know what you spent on what on last year. Look at areas where you can save by recycling unused notebooks, pens, pencils etc. If you need some extra cash, look for an on or near campus job to earn extra spending money to relieve some of the stress on your budget.
- Get out there and enjoy the rest of the summer (while you still can!): As the old saying goes, “You only live once.” So make summer 2017 the best summer yet and enjoy the sun, friends and fun! Soon enough Turner Field will be jam-packed with cars, the library will be hustling and bustling and school will officially be in session.
Photo by Google Images
Keep these tips in mind while soaking up these last moments of summer break. Come August 21, you’ll be grateful you did!
