Back to School Tips: Preparing for Your Best Year Yet
“How can you navigate this time of year to ensure you’re creating the smoothest, most productive transition possible between your summer fun and your new school year?”
There’s two types of people when it comes to seeing those back-to-school commercials that pop up on TV as soon as July 1st hits:
the enthusiastic school lovers (and let’s be honest, the tired parents who’ve had their kids all day and all summer long, and who are ready for a break)
the summer lovers who drag their feet, not wanting to go into another school year just yet (which is most of the kiddos since they want to continue their summer fun).
No matter which group you relate with most, this time of year can be a difficult time. There's a lot of emotions, stress, and endless to-do lists that get more tasks piled onto as soon as another task is checked off.
So, how can you navigate this time of year to ensure you’re creating the smoothest, most productive transition possible between your summer fun and your new school year?
By remembering to do these three things: prioritizing, praying, and preparing.
Prioritize God
God wants to be as involved in our school years and our kids’ school years as He can. Let Him!
Set up a morning routine before school that includes spending a few minutes alone with Him. Even just 10 minutes sitting with God and reading His Word and praying to Him makes a HUGE difference in the day! And some days, that’s the difference between walking in grace and drowning in pressure.
Also, consider bringing your Bible to school - I remember when I was in high school (10 years ago already), my Bible was always packed with my school binders and academic planner. Sometimes, fellow classmates would comment on it. They enjoyed the fact that I brought my teal, leather-bound Bible to school. And knowing that they saw me reading my Bible—whether I was sitting in the auditorium waiting for the bell to ring or reading it before starting softball practice—was probably more a gift to me than it was to them. It meant that they noticed Jesus in me a little bit. And being a quiet and faithful witness in something as simple as bringing my Bible to school meant everything. It made me more excited to keep doing it! And now . . . that same teal, leather-bound Bible sits on my desk in my own high school classroom.
Pray Over Your School Year
Starting your year with prayer is the first step to making it a great one.
Find a quiet place to settle down with your Bible, a journal, and a cup of iced coffee—and talk with God. Invite Him into your school year, knowing that He already knows everything that is going to happen. Invite Him into each day, each assignment, each conversation you will have. Ask Him to grow you this year—not just in your learning, but in the fruits of the Spirit. In being His faithful disciple. In being a witness to those around you who may not know Him.
Plan for Your Classes
Planning for your classes or your kids’ classes can seem like a daunting task. Simplify it by following these steps:
Figure out what supplies you will need. For high school and college students, your teacher/professor might have a list of things they want you to get for class. For mamas of younger kids, the schools always have their teachers’ supply list ready by this time of year. The sooner you get that list knocked out, the sooner you can take a deep breath and relax (trust me)!
Pro tip: I ALWAYS recommend my students get a personal academic planner. Amazon and Etsy are great sources for this. Not only does it help you track all your assignments, but it keeps you accountable in completing them.
Understand the logistics of your classes. Who is the teacher/professor? Where is the class on campus? What is your schedule like this year? Knowing these things are important and will ensure a smooth transition into the year!
For college students, go ahead and read up on the class syllabus if provided. What will you be reading this year? What major projects do you need to go ahead and put on the calendar? Getting a bird’s eye view now of how your semester/year will proceed is going to help you tremendously in the long run when you’re drowning in assignments and projects (especially around midterms and final exams).
For mamas of younger kids, help your students get ready for their year by:
going over their daily schedule
learning their teacher’s name
memorizing bus numbers or pick up car line routines
reviewing school-appropriate behavior (which might have gone out the window over the summer with all the fun they had)
and last but most importantly, teaching kids how to talk to God even during the school day. Model for them what it looks like to invite God into every part of their life . . . even school!
Following these steps will take many of the stressors that come in the several weeks before school starts. The earlier you can get this done, the more you can take a deep breath and relax!
Pray for Your “Learning Circle”
There's a term some people use to refer to the community of people who love, support, and encourage them: a care circle. When it comes to education, the care circle becomes a “learning circle,” and it involves so many people: teachers, school administrators, fellow classmates, bus drivers, nurses, librarians, paraprofessionals, cafeteria workers, custodians. The list goes on.
Thus, it’s important to pray for you or your child’s teachers/professors, fellow classmates, school admin, and all the other people and positions who contribute to you or your child’s learning environment. Just as you will pray over your school year, it’s just as important to pray over theirs, too!
Once you’ve done all these things, now it’s time to enjoy! Some days will be long and difficult, and that’s just the unavoidable pattern of life. But some days will be carefree and fun. No matter which day you’re experiencing, just make sure to invite God into the moment and pray. Because even in the ups and downs of life, God can be found in the mundane and in the extraordinary.
Our team here at The Found Woman Ministry wishes you a blessed and happy school year! We are praying for all of you. 🙂
