Whether it’s back to school for you or your children, kindergarten or college, there are a number of things you have to do to prepare. It can seem a bit overwhelming, but after doing it for myself and my two daughters for the past 20 years, I’m a seasoned veteran of the back-to-school tussle. Here’s my tried-and-true list of 7 ways to prepare for back to school.
If you’re a college student, then you already know this — textbooks are expensive, about half as expensive as tuition. Here’s an example. The tuition for my French class was $320 and the cost of the book was $140. Isn’t that crazy? If you’re going to be starting classes, give yourself a couple of weeks to shop around for the best price on the textbooks and ancillary bits you’ll need, and allow a little time for shipping, too.
It’s a great idea to start adjusting your sleep schedule to prepare yourself for back to school about two weeks ahead of time. Your summer schedule of getting up at ten and going to bed at midnight won’t work anymore, and your kids will need to adjust their schedules, too. The sooner you adjust, the better you’ll all feel that first early morning day of school.
Scantron sheets, pencils, notebooks, pens… you name it, you’ll need it. For your kids, the school will provide a list of necessary supplies. And beware — nowadays, the supplies aren’t limited t crayons and glue sticks. School budget cutbacks mean that schools are asking parents to chip in and provide a few boxes of Kleenex, Clorox Wipes, hand sanitizer, and maybe even more. Yikes!
A few days before school starts, make sure you know which door to drop off your little one at, or where exactly the bus stop is. If you’re starting high school or college, make sure you know where your classes are, and where you ought to park.
I have a Saturday class that starts at 9 in the morning and goes until 2 in the afternoon. Needless to say, I’ve learned to pack a lunch and to bring something to drink. If you’ll be taking a long class, make sure you have a meal plan. If you’re getting your kids off to school, make sure you know what types of snacks are allowed, and if your child will want to buy a hot lunch or bag a lunch.
Photo Credit: Gabriela Ines Gomez
If you’re a little nervous about your little one starting school, call the school a few days ahead of time and see if you can’t meet the teacher. Chances are, the teachers will be there early, getting their classrooms ready, and they’ll be happy to allay your fears.
This is my, and my daughter’s, favorite part of back to school — new clothes! Make sure you and/or your little ones have plenty of jeans and make sure you weed out the stuff from last year that’s just too small. Make sure you have tennis shoes for gym, and anything else you, or your little ones, will need.
Once you’ve checked all of these off your list, you and your kids will be ready to head back to the classroom! And if you forget something, it’s okay… all teachers understand that the first week is an adjustment, and they’re very forgiving. Have you gotten everything ready for back to school? Do you have any cute B2S stories to share? Please let me know!
Top Photo Credit: educationdynamics