By Adelaide Whitmire

Going back to school often comes with a lot of nerves and excitement as we gear up to learn new materials and get back to socializing with our peers. Leaving the old school year behind, the beginning of a new one usually comes with fresh motivation to find that perfect school/social life balance and implement a productive routine. However, similar to New Year resolutions, New *School* Year resolutions can lose momentum. Luckily, there are ways to build a realistic routine that works for you!

Let’s Get Started

First things first, what planning strategies work for you? Do you want to write everything out in a daily planner? Or schedule everything in a virtual calendar? Pick what works best for you and start planning by taking a look at your class schedule and syllabi. Plan out everything that you know you will need to do during the school week including class times and assignment due dates, as well as work shifts if you have a job.

Add the Specifics

From there, you can work through planning out how long you need to spend on each class for the week and spread that work out to fit your daily schedule. Dedicate some hours to studying and others to any upcoming assignment. Decide what time you want to work on each task. You can also set alarms or reminders to make sure you stay on schedule. Remember to include time for everyday tasks, like meals, exercise, and brain breaks!

Pencil-In Some Recreation

You should have a day or two for socializing and recreation (usually the weekend), but sometimes you’ll need to work on assignments during one of those days. Just remember to schedule it all out and stick to the plan. School success is important, but we also want to take care of ourselves and have fun!

Speaking of which, make sure you plan activities that you enjoy. Look into community activities and clubs that interest you. Take advantage of local recreational sports or a class at the gym. Maybe one day needs to be a self-care day where you watch your favorite show and make your go-to comfort food. Either way, schedule in time for yourself.

With a healthy school/social life balance, we don’t get as burned out. Having a personalized routine allows us to feel productive and accomplished while giving us time to decompress.