The first semester of the 2021-2022 school year has come to an end, and many students are worried about how their second semester is going to layout. Starting out a new semester can be scary, however, if you are prepared it will lead to a successful start. Some students may be taking harder classes and need to reevaluate their organization skills to start the new semester off the right way. Here are some helpful tips to making this semester the best yet!

Make an updated plan to balance your new classes with your outside life:
Students may experience a harder workload this semester and need time to adjust to balancing schoolwork and their outside activities. Making a plan of when you have free time to do your homework can help students stay on track and not get overwhelmed and stuck behind. This plan may have to wait until you understand the workload of each class, but it is better to start later than never at all.

Meet people in your classes:
Starting new classes with different people and teachers may be hard for some students. However, you can ask people you know if they have the same classes as you, and try to make friends with them before the semester starts. This can settle some anxiety about not having anyone to talk to during class on the first day.

Get a planner and create a weekly schedule:
Having a planner, or a journal, can help you stay on track with upcoming assignments and big tests that you may need to work on prior to the due date. You can even make your own planner or weekly schedule on a simple piece of paper by drawing a calendar and writing out the dates. It will help you remember due dates and help relieve stress about upcoming deadlines.

Buy new supplies and clean your backpack:
Students often keep old notes and old trash in their backpacks from classes they have already taken, which makes a stressful mess. One way to get re-organized is going to a local store during the break and re-stocking on basic supplies like paper and pencils. After you do that, take out any old notes from classes you completed and remake an organized backpack so on the first day you will have everything you need.

Write down goals for yourself that you can accomplish during the semester:
Writing down goals for your semester such as, turning in all work on time, or procrastinating big assignments, can motivate you to do better. The first semester could have pointed out flaws, like procrastination, that lead you to obtain lower grades. Making new goals that you can stick to throughout the semester will lead to higher grades and a stress-free semester.

Re-establish sleep schedule:
During breaks before starting the new semester, students, as well as teachers, go to sleep later and wake up later than they would have when they have to go to school. To have a good first day back, the best thing to do is get your school sleep schedule back. Doing this will help you get through the school day again, and allow you to not be tired throughout the school day when you return.

With these tips, you will have a more organized and productive semester.