School is starting soon; how are you getting ready? Are you going to put everything off until the last minute? Or have you already started getting everything set up? Whichever type of student you are, I have five tips to help you get ready for a new semester.

Get moving

When you wake up in the morning, make it a routine to walk and get your blood pumping! Start with five to ten minutes and work your way up to a point where you can walk for thirty minutes at a time without being out of breath. If you are going to have to use a backpack when you’re in school, use a backpack with a slowly increasing number of books when you walk.

Make a plan

Buy a planner or print out a blank calendar. Sit down and write out your full schedule for at least two weeks before and after school starts and ends. Include your work and class schedule, any doctor appointments, family obligations, and any other extracurricular activities that you know about. Always add new information to your schedule as soon as you learn about it.

Read ahead

Most professors post their required books and materials well ahead of the first day of classes. If you can get them early, skim through your textbooks and take some notes of questions you want to ask your teacher. This simple act will help you to build up a good foundation of knowledge of the subject.

To-do lists are your friend!

Create lists using headers such as ‘Books Needed’, ‘Supplies Needed’, and any other headers you think could be helpful. Then take that detailed ‘To Do List’ and pin it to your wall. This will help you see at a glance everything you need to do when you are ready to start preparing for school.

Navigate campus

If you are going to be starting at a new school go visit the campus a week or two before classes start and bring your class schedule. Use your schedule to find all of your classrooms and at least two ways to get to each room. I also highly recommend that you find the nearest restroom to each of your classes.

Whether you are a procrastinator or overachiever, preparing for a new semester can be daunting! Just take a deep breath, follow these 5 tips, and you will be on your road to success. Just remember to start your morning with some exercise, make a plan and to-do list, get your textbooks earlier, and prepare yourself to navigate campus. Which of these tips do you find most beneficial to you?