We all love summer. Less responsibilities and more time for fun, sun, and relaxing. But all good things must come to an end, so we have to be prepared for the next step. Going back to school means the end of sun, sand, and full-time relaxation and back to schedules and applying ourselves to a bigger outcome. But don’t worry. While it is only mid-July, there are a few things you can do to begin preparing for this transition now to make it smoother.
- Start waking up earlier – For many students, summer means staying up until 2am and sleeping in until 2pm everyday. Start slowly and set your alarm a bit earlier to begin the process of getting back into the swing of things. Go from 10:00 to 9 and then 8. Gradually moving the alarm up means less of a shock to the system once the school year starts. And in the summer, it gives you more daylight and sunshine to enjoy!
- Start reading again – There are millions of great books to read (like our summer reading list recommendations). If you haven’t been reading all summer, pick up a book and start to get back into the swing of things. 20 minutes a day of pleasure reading during the summer will keep your brain active so when it is time to hit the books in September, it’s not a complete shock.
- Start researching textbook prices – Textbooks are so expensive that the earlier you get them the cheaper they can be. Having time to shop around and do some research on pricing is essential to get the best pricing. Looking now means ample time to find the best prices as well as getting those rentals. Rentals save lots of money and also save he hassle of figuring out what to do with the books after the semester ends. Or, maybe you can find your way to some of the Open Education Resources that are expanding at SUNY that can save students lots of money.
- Save money – A penny saved is a penny earned. That being said, over the summer most students have more time to work than during the school year. While it is important to try new things that may cost money, it is also important to remember to budget for the school year since you may have less income. This is something a lot of us forget to do. So start putting away some of that hard earned money and budget now in order to have less financial stress come October!
- Remember to still relax – There is still more than a month of summer left. While it is important to prepare, there is still a lot of sun and sand to experience this summer! Try something new and enjoy the last month and a half of your summer break. Need a suggestion? How about one of these 30 fun attractions and adventures scattered throughout New York State, many right near one of our SUNY campuses.
look very interesting