8 Quick and Easy Tips for Back To College Preparation

School, like all necessary evils, requires a can-do mentality in order to be survived. A sure way to make one’s academic experience at the very least more manageable or less stressful — if not pleasurable — is back to college preparation. Wow, I sound like a brochure full of college tips, don’t I? Okay, real voice now: it’s kind of a chore in itself but it’s better to prepare for school instead of just heading in with BS improv tactics that mostly consist of taking down notes and hoping to hell the little that you grasp in class is going to amount to academic success. Quit your bullshit and follow these quick and easy college tips.

8 tips for back to college preparation:

1. Reflect and Adjust for Effective Back to College Preparation

Ah, one of those college tips students love to ignore. Here’s the thing: a great hack to do before hitting the class halls is to take the time to reflect on your last semester/year. Figure out what worked and what didn’t and then with that information make conscious efforts to be better. If you skipped too many classes, you’ve got something to work on. If you didn’t study enough then there’s your academic resolution. The point of reflecting is to take more responsibility for how you perform with your studies and to help you change course. Reflection is step one in serious back to college preparation, because winging it is for amateurs.

2. Research Your Subjects (Yes, Read Stuff Before Class)

Unless you’re a freshman, you probably have a good idea about the subjects you’ll be taking next. It’s a pretty good idea to study up on your own to give yourself a leg up before teaching actually begins. I don’t think I need to go into detail about the benefits of reading ahead. If your school is awesome and provides course outlines, then you’re all set to peruse your study material for the upcoming semester. For those of us whose institutions cared little about helping us prepare by providing the appropriate literature and guides then it’s a good idea to consult members of your upper class to help out with which topics you should look at. Reading ahead is one of those sneaky college tips that actually makes you look smart without trying too hard. It’s essential for back to college preparation!

3. Use Planners and Diaries to Keep Track

The easiest way to get overwhelmed during the semester is to not keep track of what you’re supposed to do and when you’re supposed to do it. Keep yourself organised with an academic planner or journal. This will help you make better use of your time and prioritise your to-do list. Using planners is a tiny step in solid back to college preparation that pays off big when panic sets in. It’s one of those college tips that is given a lot but often ignored. Don’t be someone who ignores it.

4. Make a Study Schedule

In my experience, the best way to study is to be organized about it. That means having a study schedule. Yes, there are folks who can just wing it and still do well in class and exams but those assholes people aren’t you now, are they? Before you even get to your school, make a study schedule and stick to it. A study schedule will help you not feel overwhelmed during those trying times of tests and examinations since you’ll already have been covering the material everyone else is cramming a couple of days before. Making a study schedule is a back to college preparation tactic that saves you from a last-minute meltdown during exams. It’s one of those classic college tips you’ll thank me for later.

5. Meal Prep as Part of Smart Back to College Preparation

Another underrated back to college preparation tip. Meal prepping basically ­­­­means planning and preparing meals in advance. Preparing your meals beforehand is a great way to save time, money (since you won’t be swayed by take-out lunches) and it’s also a great way to maintain healthy eating. This is definitely one of those college tips I wish I had taken more seriously when I was an undergrad.

6. Plan Your Outfits

Didn’t think this would be on a list of college tips, did you? Well it is ’cause it’s a great, underrated one. A week ahead or at least the night before, make a habit of planning your sartorial choices. It saves time (more than you would think) and makes for a more organized morning routine. This is one of those cheeky college tips that actually makes life slightly less chaotic—and makes you look like you have it together.

7. Make To-Do Lists (And Follow Through)

Now here’s a pro back to college preparation hack that makes you look productive even when you’re not. Making lists is a time-honoured means of staying on top of your shit. It helps you remember the important tasks you need to complete and puts focus on them. The mere act of writing down a task increases your chances of completing it ( by 42% in fact). Also, use lists to divide up a lot of work into manageable chunks to do a little bit at a time. If you don’t want to use a physical list, why not use an app to keep up with the tasks you need to do electronically? This is absolutely one of my favourite college tips.

8. Trim the fat

Okay. This is one of those essential college tips that are tough but highly pragmatic. The company you keep at school can greatly affect your performance and general well-being. If you spend a substantial amount of time with people who jeopardize those things, my dear, it’s time to proverbially trim the fat. Now listen very carefully, I am not advising you to cut people off all willy-nilly. I’m telling you to consider the people who are good for you and those who are not, and I’m telling you to be more conscious of the time and effort you dedicate to them.

Congratulations, you’ve reached the end of the brochure! If you’d like more college advice then you can check out my How To College Better series for more college tips and tricks to help you on your academic journey.

What did you think of these back to college preparation tips? Do you have any college tips you’d like to share? Hit the comments and let me know.