essay on getting ready for school

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How to Prepare for Each School Day

Last Updated: August 10, 2024 Approved

This article was co-authored by Ashley Pritchard, MA and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Ashley Pritchard is an Academic and School Counselor at Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown, New Jersey. Ashley has over 3 years of high school, college, and career counseling experience. She has an MA in School Counseling with a specialization in Mental Health from Caldwell University and is certified as an Independent Education Consultant through the University of California, Irvine. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 86% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 126,504 times.

Being ready to take on each school day really boils down to a good routine. A lot of the stuff you need to do to get ready for school can be done the night before when you have more time. If you don't have a lot of time in the evening after school, prepare what you can on the weekend so it's ready to go for each day. Then, in the morning, all you need to concern yourself with is getting ready and heading out the door.

Wake up with your alarm.

• For example, if you have to catch your bus at 7:30, you might want to wake up at 6:30. This gives you an hour to get dressed, eat breakfast, wash your face, brush your teeth, and make sure you have everything you'll need for school.
• You might find that you don't need as much time in the morning, but be careful not to cut it too close. Ideally, you'll have time to do everything you need to do and still be calm, friendly, and social with your family before heading out.
• Since you went to sleep at the appropriate hour, you should feel well-rested in the morning. If you feel tired, bump your bedtime up a half-hour and see if that helps. You might have to play around with it a little until you find the right time. [2] X Research source
• Reader Poll: We asked 746 wikiHow readers who've established a morning routine, and 54% of them agreed that the best way to do so is by setting an alarm. [Take Poll]

Eat a good breakfast.

• Stay away from sugary cereals and toaster pastries—the sugar will cause you to crash later and won't give you the focused energy you need.
• If your school serves breakfast, it's fine to wait until you get there to eat something. Just make sure you're starting your day with something healthy that will give you the energy you need.

Get dressed and ready.

• Give yourself a little extra time if you wear makeup to school or if you have other accessories you want to put on.
• Glance in the mirror one last time and smile—you're ready to go!

Prepare your lunch.

• If you're eating lunch at school, you might want to look at the lunch menu schedule so you know what your options are for the next day. If you have a choice, figure out what you want the night before so you won't have to make a decision on the spot tomorrow.

Pack your bag according to your schedule.

• If you'll need a change of clothes for PE or another activity, make sure they're clean and ready to go along with your other school things.
• You might want to check the weather as well. For example, if it's supposed to rain tomorrow, you'll want to make sure you have a raincoat or umbrella ready.

Finish your homework after school.

• Getting your homework done first also means you know it's done so you won't have to stress about it in the morning.
• Set up a particular spot to do your homework every day. When you get home, go directly to that spot and start working.

Share any school news with your parents.

• If you need permission for a school event or outing, put it on your family calendar. Set reminders if you need to do anything specific to prepare.

Pack your backpack the night before.

• You might consider putting up a copy of your schedule next to the door so you can do a quick double-check right before you head out.

Take a bath or shower at night.

• A bubble bath or shower gel with a calming scent, such as lavender, also helps relax you and improve your sleep quality. [10] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source

Do something relaxing before bed.

• If the sun is still out when you're transitioning toward bedtime, close the blinds or curtains so the natural light won't come into your room.
• Avoid stimulating activities, such as exercise or watching an exciting television show, right before bed. When you stimulate your mind, you'll have a harder time falling asleep and won't sleep as deeply when you finally do. [12] X Research source

Get a good night's sleep.

• For example, if you're 16 years old and you need to get up at 6 a.m., that means you need to go to bed sometime between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. If 8 p.m. sounds way too early for you to go to bed, start with a 10 p.m. bedtime. You can always adjust it if you consistently feel tired in the morning.

Time your morning routine.

• For example, you might find that it takes you 30 minutes to do everything you need to do in the morning at a normal pace. Add 15 minutes to this time (just in case anything goes wrong) and set your alarm for 45 minutes before you need to leave.
• Don't forget to add in time to wake up as well. If it usually takes a couple of minutes for the alarm to wake you up, set it a couple of minutes earlier than you need to get up to account for that.

Prep for each week on the weekend.

• Go over your schedule for the week and take note of any special activities that might require a little extra prep work. Is there anything you can do in advance? Go ahead and get it ready so you don't have to worry about it during the week.

Expert Q&A

Reader Videos

Share a quick video tip and help bring articles to life with your friendly advice. Your insights could make a real difference and help millions of people!

• A checklist with your evening and morning routines will help you remember everything until it all becomes habitual. [16] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If you're finding that it's taking you too long to wake up in the morning, try setting your alarm across your room. That way, you'll need to walk over to it in order to turn it off. Doing this may help you wake up. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 1

Tips from our Readers

• Try to go to bed early. Avoid TV or bright lights right before bed. Cozy up in bed and think about something you love to help you fall asleep and have good, restful dreams.
• Remember that a routine isn't built in one day. It may take you time to build up a habit of being prepared for school every day.
• Make sure to have paper and pencils and all that good stuff in your book bag ready to go in the evening for the next day.

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://thesleepdoctor.com/2018/08/21/8-ways-to-help-your-child-get-ready-for-the-school-sleep-routine/
• ↑ Ashley Pritchard, MA. School Counselor. Expert Interview. 4 November 2019.
• ↑ https://raisingchildren.net.au/school-age/school-learning/school-homework-tips/morning-routine-for-school
• ↑ https://savedyouaspot.com/2015/09/15/how-to-be-prepared-for-school-every-day/
• ↑ https://www.understood.org/en/learning-thinking-differences/understanding-childs-challenges/simple-changes-at-home/8-ways-to-make-school-morning-routines-easier
• ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31102877/
• ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16298774/
• ↑ https://www.suu.edu/blog/2020/12/student-morning-routine.html
• ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29073412/
• ↑ https://www.inc.com/nicolas-cole/5-simple-things-you-should-do-every-sunday-night-to-prepare-for-the-week-ahead.html
• ↑ https://www.superhealthykids.com/parenting/8-tips-for-a-stress-free-school-morning-routine/

About This Article

To prepare for each school day, start out by checking your schedule for the next day and making sure you have everything you will need in your backpack. For example, if you have gym class tomorrow, make sure that you have your gym clothes. Most importantly, double-check that all your homework is in your bag. Then, lay out your outfit for the next day to make it easier to get dressed. Finally, make sure that your alarm is set for the right time in the morning. For more tips on establishing a normal routine and eating a healthy breakfast, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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