How to Enjoy the First Day Back to School

It's about time to go back to school and end the relaxing summer. Students everywhere are dreading the end to their freedom, and beginning of another year filled with deadlines and tests. Here is how to enjoy that first day back to school.

1. Get enough sleep the night before. There's nothing worse than being tired the first day back to school. You'll be cranky, irritable, and have no desire to meet your new teachers and friends. The problem is, you probably won't be tired Sunday night. You're used to staying up late. The way to deal with this is to try going to bed early at least one night previous to the night before school. This way, you'll be used to getting up early and your body will be tired on Sunday night so you can fall asleep.

2. Eat a bood breakfast. Nothing starts the day better than having fuel to give you energy. Try not to eat a heavy breakfast, however. Eggs, sausages and pancakes could just slow you down. Try a bowl of cereal and milk and some fruit, with a glass or orange juice. This will get you wound up and ready to go!

3. Be prepared. This will help you enjoy your first day back to school. Have everything you need ready to go. For example, have your backpack packed with essential items, such as pencils and pens, erasers, paper and any other items you'll need the first day. If you aren't prepared, you'll just have to worry all day about borrowing a pen or getting in trouble for not having what you need.

4. Wear something comfortable yet stylish. The first day of school sets the trend for what people will expect of you throughout the year, or at least that's what all preteens and teens believe. If you show up with something nerdy or geeky, everyone will make fun of you, right? So, keep fashion in mind. But also make sure what you have on is comfortable. If you're wearing the newest girl's pump shoe and your feet hurt everytime you walk, this won't make for an enjoyable first day back to school.

5. Be friendly to those you come into contact with. If you start off by saying hello to everyone as you meet them, you'll get a great response. If you instead look away and not say a word, people will have the same response to you. By saying hello, more people will talk to you and you'll get your feet in the door for making friends for the school year. You'll also enjoy the first day back to school more because you'll be talking to people.

6. Know your schedule in advance and map out where your classes are. There's nothing worse for the first day back to school to not be able to find any of your classes. I just had a nightmare about this last night. I was remembering my school days and had a dream that I couldn't find any of my classes. You could go to the school one day before school starts and see where your rooms are. Or, you could get a map of the building with classroom numbers and have it plotted out. This way, you'll be one step ahead of the crowd and you won't feel stupid the first day back to school.

7. Be clean. Because time may be tight in the morning, you could consider taking a shower right before bed. You'll still feel clean in the morning. Or, go ahead and take a quick shower in the morning. Just make sure you get up in time. You'll feel good about yourself all day if you're clean.

8. Be on time. If you start the day late, you'll spend the whole first day back to school playing catch up. You also won't find out who your homeroom teacher is or where your homeroom class is! This isn't going to help you enjoy the first day back to school.

9. Meet your teachers ahead of time. This is a secret that my mother used, at least for my first grade year of school. If you meet your teachers in advance, you'll feel comfortable the first day of school, as you'll already have started to get to know them and you'll already have developed a rapport. You'll be surprised how much easier this can make your day go.

10. Find out what lunch schedule you are on and devise a plan ahead of time to find your friends for lunch. Imagine wasting the whole lunch period trying to find your friends. If necessary, call the school to ask what lunch schedule you're on. If none of your friends are on your schedule, at least you'll know not to look high and low for them. You may have to make some new friends!