It’s about that time again. Summer vacation is winding down, and there are a lot of back-to-school commercials on TV and school supply sales at local stores. For us college students, it’s time to say goodbye to our (hopefully) relaxing four-month break and get back to the old grind.

I know from experience that leaving the pleasant life of summer and having to dive back into the world of commitments can be very stressful and sometimes hard to adjust to. So, while everybody’s circumstances are different, I know of a few ways to make the transition back to school less stressful.

Try to get ahead if possible. You probably don’t want to wake up the first morning of classes to realize you’re still missing a book. The bookstores are open in advance, so try to find the time to get in if you can. Even better, you can look online for books. I’ve almost always found cheaper prices on things from Amazon.com. This way, you can also save yourself some money. Another issue is finding a classroom. I’ve been late the first day a few times because of that. If you have the time, you can find the classroom for yourself before classes start.

A new year always inevitably leads to meeting new people, whether it’s new roommates, new classmates, or simply new friends in general. You don’t have to be a social butterfly to find someone with whom you have a lot in common. Maybe you’re the new student who’s having trouble adjusting to college life, or maybe you’re the one befriending the new student. Sometimes one of the best encouragements is knowing that you’re not alone. And trust me, finding a strong source of encouragement is very important in getting through a rough time.

Also, never forget that sometimes getting used to something takes time. Personally, I’m quite resistant to change. Whenever I get used to a certain schedule, I want it to stay that way until I get absolutely bored with it, which sometimes never happens. Going from simply working a summer job for money to having to worry about classes has never been super easy, but usually by the end of the second week, it starts to become second nature. 

I say this because we live in a very impatient world. It’s so tempting to think that because something doesn’t happen right away that it won’t ever happen at all. We’ve all done it at some point. The best way to combat this is to remind ourselves that time will help us in adjusting to our new schedules.

The beginning of the fall semester is always kind of rough, especially since the weather is still warm to remind us of the joyful times that we now have to put behind us, something that’s not as dramatic with the colder weather of January. 

Starting the new school year can be stressful, and you won’t make it any easier on yourself if you’re not prepared. So, let’s get ourselves ready for this new school year. It may save us some headaches down the road.