Back-to-School Success Tips

The 2021-2022 school year is here, which means now is the time for students and families to get back into the swing of school, homework, and extracurricular activities!

Whether you’ll be attending in-person or online, Options Schools is sharing these back-to-school success tips to help students hit the ground running. We’re looking forward to the coming year and we welcome middle and high schoolers throughout Indiana to learn more about us and reach out today!

Ready to kick off the new school year on a successful note? Let’s get started.

Establish a Routine

Many of us will agree that staying up late and sleeping in are some of the best parts of summer vacation. But now with school in session, you may be experiencing daytime fatigue and a bit of shock trying to return to a routine.

Here are some things you can try to help:

Ease your way back into a routine by going to bed one hour earlier than you normally do each night. Aim for a bedtime that will give you at least eight to ten hours of sleep every night.

Lay out your clothes the night before, pack your lunch, and organize your belongings for the following day. Limit your exposure to blue light one to two hours leading up to bed.

In the morning, wake up one hour earlier than you usually do. By the time school starts, aim to give yourself enough time each morning to have breakfast and prepare for the day. Walking and stretching are great habits to integrate in your morning routine to get your blood and energy flowing.

How to Establish a Routine as a Remote Learner

Many of our Options Indiana students are active in activities that take place during conventional school hours. So when it comes to establishing a routine, remote learners will largely schedule class time and homework time around their extracurricular commitments.

Rather than allocating a six to seven hour block of time for school, it may be more beneficial to break up your school day. For example, you could devote one to three hours in the morning, a couple of hours in the afternoon, and then save the evenings for light homework and catch-up.

Sticking to a schedule is key to taking care of your school work and staying on top of your extracurricular activities ‒ but make sure you prioritize mealtimes and schedule downtime to rest, as well.

Create an Ideal Study Space

Where you study is almost as important as how much you study! With that said, it may be time to rethink your home study environment and ways you can recreate it for higher productivity and concentration.

By designating one area as your study space, your brain will soon associate the area with school and studying. That way, as soon as you enter the area, your concentration and readiness will kick on quicker.

Refrain from bringing homework to the dinner table or school work to bed with you.
By designating your books and studies to a particular area, you can set firmer boundaries and maintain a better school-life balance. You’ll likely use your laptop or computer in this area, but try to limit your use of cellphones and other electronic devices.

Bring more natural light into your study space by choosing a room with multiple windows. You can also hang up a mirror or remove the blinds if you’re working in a smaller room with fewer windows. You could even paint the room a calming pale blue or a light grey for more natural light and a productivity boost.

Do You Study in More Than One Place?

You don’t need an exclusive study space! In fact, many remote learners who are committed to sports and extracurricular activities will often study and do school work outside their home learning environment. Luckily, there are ways you can create productive study zones while you’re on-the-go and away from home.

First, choose a spot where you can minimize distractions from people and the hustle-and-bustle of your environment. That may mean bringing your books or laptop into a quiet hallway or a tucked-away corner. Use noise-cancelling headphones and turn off your phone.

When it comes to accomplishing demanding, high-concentration tasks, you may want to save these for when you’re home in a quieter place, which will require some coordination with your schedule.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to your teachers and let them know what your schedule is like. They may be able to provide you with more notice of when big tests or papers are due so you can schedule your time accordingly further out in advance.

Additional Back-to-School Success Tips

What else can you do to make the new school year a productive and successful one for the books?

Here’s a breakdown of some basic back-to-school tips that can help you stay ahead:

Don’t procrastinate & let homework & assignments pile up.
Prioritize tasks & schedule when you will complete them.
Minimize phone & social media use during school & study hours.
Keep the lines of communication open with your teachers & classmates.
Schedule study groups on the weekends & plan to meet at a local library.

Achieving a healthy school-life balance can be challenging at times, but it can go a long way for your productivity and success. Don’t forget to nourish yourself and stay hydrated each day. Give yourself study breaks and schedule enough time in the evenings and weekends to enjoy activities besides school and your other responsibilities.

Are You Ready for the New School Year?

The 2021-2022 school year has kicked off, and Options Schools can’t wait to help our students make this the best one yet!

If you have questions about implementing these back-to-school success tips, get in touch with us. Our staff is more than happy to help you or your student adjust and prepare for the school year ahead.

We also encourage interested middle school and high school students throughout Indiana to contact us for more information about enrollment and what we have to offer for on-campus and online learning!