This year, summer has been very hot and hard to handle for many of us, yet the summer vacation was filled with fun and relaxation after the tough days of exams. There was no pressure to get up early, or do homework and assignments. Two months have just flown by, and now you have only a few days left before the new academic year begins.

There will be a mix of excitement and apprehension. Don’t fret, because it’s all in your hands to make this year an amazing one. Of course, the transition period is not smooth. We all get goosebumps and all sorts of worries, but with a little warm-up, you can get back into the school groove.

Set your body clock right

The first thing you get accustomed to during summer vacation is the lazy and tension-free routines. Not just you, but the whole family, including your parents, become more relaxed. There’s no hassle of dropping and picking you up from school on time, so the days and nights are relaxing for everyone in the family.

Even though your working parents still have to maintain their routine, they thankfully don’t have the stress of your school projects, studies and pick-up/drop-off responsibilities.

During these two months, you enjoyed being lazy, slept late and got up late, binge-watched TV, played video games and took never-ending snacks, often skipping breakfast and having no proper meal times. It’s not a big problem to relax and feel free — you deserve it.

However, it’s time to reset your body clock now. Set the alarm to wake up a little earlier than you have been getting up these days, so that when school starts in a few days, you won’t have trouble managing the early morning routine. Yes, you also need to fight the urge to stay up late! Slowly, adjust your bedtime and wake-up time to match your school schedule.

During the summer vacation, you had fun skipping meals and munching on whatever you liked, but now it’s time to eat a proper breakfast, lunch and dinner around the same time every day. And avoid skipping any of the main meals.

Gear up for learning

Most of you have bought your essential books, syllabus packs, uniforms and stationery items. However, there is always something left out from the list that you end up running to get at the last minute. It’s a good idea to list the things you have already bought and the things that still need to be bought.

For instance, notebooks, pens, pencils, calculator, a backpack, a water bottle, lunch box — check it all off! The tip to avoid extra hassle when shopping for any back-to-school stuff, is to go early in the day when the shops and roads are less crowded.

Many schools instruct students to label their books, notebooks and other items they bring to school. However, if your school hasn’t issued any such notification as yet, you should label everything yourself. You can either write it down with a marker or type your name and class in an MS Word file, using a clear font and desired size, then print it out on a sticker sheet, which you can cut and paste on your books. This service is now available at most books and stationery shops, making it more convenient.

Skill assessment — reflect on your learning style

I will not lecture you to read the subjects books and go through the lessons before the academic year begins. No, you don’t have to. All you must do is remind yourself about your previous academic year, whether it was tough or a piece of cake.

This is the journey we all take to reach our goals, and these are the necessary steps in building your bright future. You may have crossed many obstacles, or you may have stumbled on many and you have now probably decided to undo those this year. So a little tip is to take some time out and discuss with your parents, either with both mum and dad, or with the one you are more attached to.

Sharing your fears and your areas of weakness with them will help you assess and identify how and where you need to develop your particular skills, and yes, this needs a little planning beforehand. Discuss with them if your old strategies are still effective. If you only contemplate your weaknesses alone or even discuss them with your best buddies, it won’t make much difference. You need adult supervision and guidance because they can analysis things better, based on their experience and knowledge. Therefore, try to discuss your concerns with an adult before your classes start.

Stay healthy, stay strong

In many schools, students at a particular grade level are asked to have their vision and hearing examined. This helps prioritise those with vision or hearing problems over those with healthy vision and hearing. The school management then arranges the seating accordingly. These medical exams are essential for the child’s health.

For instance, you might not notice if your hearing is damaged for any reason, or perhaps you have blurry vision and might not think it’s a big deal. Many kids don’t realise it until they are diagnosed by medical practitioners. If you are worried for the diagnoses, just take it easy, it is done for your well-being so that you don’t have to face any discomfort during the class. Make sure you’re up-to-date with your doctor’s appointments and vaccinations.

Be independent, be organised!

It’s fine to be a little careless sometimes, but now is the time to roll up your sleeves and take charge, if not of your surroundings, at least of your own things. Make sure you don’t mess up again; keep your books, notebooks and other school belongings in one place rather than scattering them around. Learn how to handle small challenges on your own. Whether it’s placing or hanging your clothes neatly in your cupboard or cleaning your shoes, learn to do it yourself rather than depending on your mother.

Figuring things out independently is a valuable life skill! Also, make a commitment to packing your backpack and keeping track of your school stuff. It’s a great way to be prepared!

Integrate your hobbies

If you have developed a hobby during the holidays and are now passionate about it, my advice would be not to sideline it even when your studies begin. Set a specific time for it. While you may have been doing it irregularly during the vacation, if you want to pursue it, you must establish a routine beforehand. This way, it won’t interfere when you are fully engaged in your studies.

Additionally, having a hobby and engaging in it gives you confidence and teaches you how to handle pressure. Being active in a hobby often leads to less stress compared to those without any passions.

Plan for extracurricular growth

A new academic year arrives with new challenges for each grade. The clubs, activities or other opportunities you couldn’t participate in earlier or missed out on for any reason, commit yourself to doing them this year.

If you are enrolled in a new school, it will be a completely new experience. Along with the admission formalities, you likely received a brochure of the school’s co-curricular activities. Make up your mind to explore those this year and broaden your experiences by joining a club or sports team that interests you.

Apart from that, your teachers are your best guides, try to build positive relationships with new teachers from the start of the year.

Think positive

Lastly, I want to stress one thing: always stay positive. No matter how bad your last academic year went, there is always an opportunity for you to grow. All you need is a positive mind-set. Your mishaps and failures were just stepping stones. Some may have shaken you to the core, and some may have caused you to fall, but remember, this is how we learn to walk, run and reach our destinations.

For example, if you slip and fall, do you remain where you fell or do you get up and walk? Just like that, we have to walk through all the setbacks that come our way.

This new academic year will again be a rollercoaster ride, dare to enjoy all the curves, twists and loops. It will be thrilling but when it ends, you’ll feel the exhilaration and satisfaction of a journey well-travelled.

Good luck!

Published in Dawn, Young World, July 27th, 2024