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If you’re struggling with school, here are some practical tips you can implement this year.

Hopefully, the first three weeks of school have you excited and prepared for the new school year. If that’s not the case, you’ve stumbled upon the right article! Below, you will find some great back-to-school tips that can help you start the year off strong.

Download these apps on your phone.

If you don’t already have Teams, OneNote and Outlook on your phone, I highly suggest getting them. This makes it way easier to check class updates, important reminders and school-wide emails instead of having to always take out your tablet.

Constantly check your email.

It’s important to stay up to date with all the events and reminders going on at school, especially when they are time-sensitive, so make sure you stay in the loop! With that, make sure to email your teachers when you know you are missing their class to know what you need to do to catch up; that way, you won’t fall behind early in the year.

Stay organized.

If you start the year organized, it will be easier to stay organized than trying to get all your things in order halfway through the semester. Keeping a planner or online calendar can work wonders for your academic success. Putting your handouts and papers from different classes in different folders can help you keep track of your stuff, too. Staying organized can also look like gathering your things the night before to make sure you are prepared to take on the day!

Don’t procrastinate.

Please don’t dig yourself into a hole that can be avoided. Try to stay on top of all your assignments now, so you’re not struggling to catch up later. Make a to-do list with all your assignments in order of due dates and tackle your work one assignment at a time. With that, studying can be much more effective if you spread out your reviews instead of cramming the night before.

Prioritize your health.

It can be easy to scroll for hours on your phone, procrastinate and stress about deadlines. If this sounds like you, make sure to prioritize your health more this year. Try putting your phone in a different room, taking breaks, eating a healthy breakfast or going to bed earlier. Senior Sophie Figueroa explains her perspective on this advice, saying, “Make sure you have a good balance of school work and self-care; your body works harder than you know, so it deserves some love too.”

Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Don’t forget that your teachers are here for you whenever you need some extra help. Having friends in class who can update you on anything you miss can also be super helpful. Agreeing with this tip, Bridget Santana ’27 shares, “Don’t procrastinate and don’t be afraid to communicate with your teachers because all of them are open to helping you.” There are so many people at Rosary who want to see you succeed.

Keep a positive attitude.

Looking at everyday life with a positive perspective can change the way you walk onto campus, the mood you bring to classes and the way you treat others. Positivity truly radiates from people, so even if you’re not having the best day, you could be the reason someone else has a great day. Who knows, maybe someone can do the same for you.

Let go and let God.

Whenever you feel drained, stressed or like you need extra strength, always remember that God is waiting with open arms to strengthen you and lift you up. Also, remember to give Him thanks for all the blessings in your life because it can be so easy to push God to the side when school feels more important.

Setting yourself up for success early in the year will make adjusting to school again much easier. If you have any other suggestions and tips, make sure to leave a comment. Let’s make this year amazing!