3 Things to do Before School Starts to set yourself up for success!

1. Gather your supplies.
   • Most importantly, figure out how you’re going to plan your work load and your life. Will you use Google Calendar, or the calendar on your phone?
     • I have had students use the calendar on their phone and then make a choice that results in their phone being taken…so they no longer had access to their calendars.
   • I would suggest starting with a paper planner, whether that’s one you buy, or draw out in a basic spiral or composition notebook, or print a combination of free printables that you stick in a binder. Whatever works for you.
     • I would also suggest that your planner have a monthly layout and a weekly layout at least. Just a monthly layout will not help you plan on a weekly basis.
       • If you’re someone who gets overwhelmed easily, I would suggest using a daily layout so that once you have a plan for the day, you can look only at the day’s events/ workload and not get overwhelmed with everything going on throughout the whole week.
   • Make sure your laptop/ device is up to date and working well.
     • Have a backup plan for *when* (not if) the internet goes out. Public libraries, a friend or family member’s house, a phone hotspot are all good options.
2. Prepare your work space.
   • If you do not have a dedicated desk just for school work, make your supplies portable. Most virtual students keep everything in a backpack so they can learn on the go, but you can also put your supplies in a box or crate to carry around your house.
     • Planner totes are good options as well:
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     • https://www.hobbylobby.com/Scrapbook-Paper-Crafts/Storage-Organization/Black-Planner-Tote-Bag/p/81134374
   • Getting digitally organized:
     • Set up a new folder for this semester. Within this folder, create a new folder for each class that you’re taking. Make sure all of your work moving forward is organized into the appropriate folder!
       • If you’re like many of my students, you have approximately a million random files in your Google Drive that have been accumulating since elementary school. Create a new folder titled “Old” or “Prior to Fall 2023.” Click and drag to select all of the old files and move them into this folder. You can sort them later if needed (but Google Drive has a great search feature so you may not need to).
3. Print your syllabus/ pacing guide.
   • Go ahead and copy important deadlines/ classes/ events into your monthly part of your planner (for the whole semester).
   • Add in doctor/ dentist appointments, work schedules, team practices/ games, club meetings, anything else you have going on.
   • You can refer back to your syllabus/ pacing guide as needed, but you should be able to trust that your monthly planner has everything in your life written on it.

Doing these 3 things before school starts will set you up for success!