9 Things Every Kid Needs to Know Before Going Back to School

Back-to-school time is a hectic and often stressful part of everyone’s year. Students, parents and teachers alike are bombarded with lists of what and what not to do, what kind of supplies they need to get through the school year and advice columns from people who’ve been there before. While those columns are often essential pieces to prepare you, these things can blend together and your eyes may begin to glaze over. School is meant to be something special and occasionally fun. Sometimes you need advice that’s a little less about choosing markers and a little more about how to get your kid(s) through the school year. With that in mind, Education Post has you kids covered. Navigating a new school year is tough, so here are some tips from someone who was in your spot once upon a time not so long ago.

Tips for students

1. If you’re new to a school, find out where all the bathrooms are and make a mental map of them in your head. Do you really want to panic when you already have to go? That’s a recipe for disaster.

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2. Stash snacks in your locker to grab a bite between periods. That way when your teachers talk about logarithms or Greek mythology or whatever, your growling stomach won’t drown them out.

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3. If you feel like you’re about to lose a tooth, ask a parent or teacher for a baggie. Please, please, PLEASE don’t just stick the loose tooth in your pocket.

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4. Build your own homework space. It doesn’t even have to be at home. As long as you won’t be distracted by screens and as long as it’s not in a bed where unintended naps can happen, you’re set. You don’t even need it to be clean and organized. Be messy for all we care.

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5. Put a toothbrush in your backpack. Got a crush on somebody? This will be your key to not automatically repelling them after lunch. Unless, of course, you have a crush on someone who enjoys bad breath, in which case you may have bigger problems.

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6. Sleepytime tea will help you get past the pre-first-day-of-school jitters. Heck, share this piece of advice with your parents and teachers, too.

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7. Find a book that hasn’t been assigned and read it anyway. The book can be about any subject that interests you, because you won’t always be thrilled with “Huckleberry Finn,” “The Scarlet Letter” and others in the assigned reading pantheon. Think of it like a prize and tell yourself, “Once I slog through all the metaphors for money in ‘The Great Gatsby,’ I can read a little of what I actually like!”

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8. You don’t need any of those fancy planners if you don’t want them. You can use sticky notes (either the physical kind or apps on your computer), phone alarms, calendar apps. Just set reminders of what you need to do and you’re fine.

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9. Plan, don’t play, with your food. If you make your lunches, get creative. You can cut the crust off your peanut butter and jelly sandwiches one day, leave them on the next day and you can even get really wacky by varying the direction you cut the sandwiches. You can go down the middle, across the corners, divided into thirds, whatever. You do you.

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Photo by Bailey Haddad Holbeck, CC-licensed.

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9 Things Every Kid Needs to Know Before Going Back to School

Tips for students

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