As we face another semester, the importance of getting organized is hugely evident. Whether you’re in Grade 9 or Grade 12, you are going to want to be sure that you know at least 4 pieces of information going in to this semester:

1. What classes are you taking this semester? This question is really important for being able to prepare mentally for what is coming. If you know that you have five intensive classes, you are going to want to be sure to organize your social and extracurricular activities so that you have enough time to do homework. If you are also going to be working, you will want to be sure that you have organized your schedule to accommodate the extra stress of the difficult classes. This works the opposite way as well – if you have a lighter school schedule, you can pack more extracurricular and volunteer activities in to your schedule.

2. Do you have all of the school supplies that you will need for the level of classes that you will be taking?
Depending on what your semester has in store for you, you will need to make sure that you have at least the basics when it comes to school supplies, and you can wait until the first week of school to pick up any specialty supplies that you may need for an art or math class.

3. Do you have a study spot that will be useful to you once the semester starts?
Clearing off the holiday clutter from your desk will help you to start getting into “school mode”. You want to be somewhat mentally prepared for going back to school after the holiday break so that when your first assignment is due, you are ready to succeed. Feng Shui is the Japanese art of meditation and stress relief that says that having a calm environment helps to create calm in one’s mind. This is a useful tip to employ for your study area; try to keep it clean and organized so that your mind is less distracted when you need to focus.

4. What are your rewards and landmarks along the way that will help you to keep going?
School days can be tiring, especially if you are loaded down with courses that are heavy or difficult. You are still going to need to take some time off and make sure you allow time to have fun. Maybe your family is planning a vacation for spring break, or maybe you’ll go on a weekend shopping trip with friends. Whatever it is that you are looking forward to, be sure that you have those dates firmly implanted in your mind.When you are starting to feel stressed out, you will be able to persist because you know that you have something good to look forward to. If you don’t have anything planned, then plan something now!