How to prepare for the new academic year

The summer holidays are ending, and the new academic year is upon us, so here are all the ways you can prepare for it to ensure success.

Summer this year has been full of sun and heat, but we are heading into autumn and the 'Ber' months, which only means one thing. A new academic year is here.

Whilst I'm no longer in full-time education, I'm still studying for my undergraduate degree. I have been since 2020, and my degree is quite unique in that it doesn't follow a typical academic year like most brick-and-mortar universities.

However, I still like to prepare for the new academic year, ensuring I've got all the essentials, so I can have a successful final quarter and a half to the year.

Below are some tips to help you prepare for the new academic year yourself.

Gather essential supplies

When it comes to the new academic year, there is one type of shopping I love.

Stationery.

I absolutely love shopping for stationery, and preparing for a new year is the perfect opportunity. You need to make sure you have everything you need to start learning and studying, including pens, pencils, a ruler, Post-it notes and notebooks.

For some, you might even need to get specific equipment, like a scientific calculator, certain textbooks and secondary sources. Whatever you may need, make sure you've got it in advance to save you time later on.

Reset your body clock

The summer brings longer days, and with that, we often change our body clocks to go to sleep later. It's all very well enjoying the sun and having little sleep in summer, especially if you get summer holidays, but when you go back to school/university etc., you'll need to reset your body clock.

Make sure you're getting enough sleep and are able to wake up early enough in preparation for your day. If you know you'll have classes at 9 am, make sure you're getting into the routine of waking up and ensuring you can complete your morning routine, whether that's eating breakfast, going for a walk, or simply travelling to your destination, with enough time to spare.

There's nothing worse than being late on the first few days of the academic year, so reset your body clock a week beforehand to help you get in the best routine before studying starts again.

Organise your study space

The saying goes, 'Tidy house, tidy mind'. The same could be said for your study/work space.

With education comes studying and revision. If you're able to have a space in your home where you can study, that is perfect. However, not if it's not tidy.

Organising your study space before the academic year can give you a clear mind and a refresh before you have to study again.

So, tidy up a bit by removing scrap bits of paper; organise your stationery and notebooks so they're easy to access without making a mess; ensure you've got a power supply if you use a laptop/computer.

However you imagine a tidy space, put it into action for your desk, and it'll help in the long run.

Recap and review

When the new academic year begins, you may find yourself continuing with topics from the previous year or having done some summer reading.

Before classes start, why not recap everything you learnt last year? It doesn't have to be in detail, just the topic headings to give you a reminder, so you know what to expect in the future.

If you've got textbooks you're working from, review the contents page and any reading you think may be helpful. It will stand you in good stead for the upcoming year and ensure you don't flounder on the first day.

Set your goals

Depending on what year of studying you're going into, depends on whether you'll have major exams. But even if you won't have exams like GCSEs or A-Levels, you might find you'll have coursework, assessment periods and mocks.

However, you'll also still have a personal life outside of studying. One thing I've found to be helpful is to set some goals before the academic year begins.

It can be achieving a certain grade in a subject, receiving positive feedback for a piece of coursework, meeting every deadline, etc. Whatever you personally want to achieve, make a note of it at the start of the year, and revisit it at the end.

Doing this will help provide motivation throughout your studies, so you can tick it off at the end and feel even prouder of yourself for reaching your individual targets.

So, if the new academic year means more studying, new topics, and exams for you, I hope these tips can help you prepare and put you in a good position to achieve success (however that looks for you).

In the meantime, good luck.

Until next time...