Student Blog: School Tools: How to Prepare for the Upcoming Academic Year

Having a go-to routine at the start of a new semester can catapult you into a year of academic success. As a rising senior, I am seasoned in knowing how to navigate the transition from the summer months into a new school year. Yet, it isn’t always easy. Being in a BFA acting program, the start of a new school year typically feels like jumping onto an already running train. Therefore, the mental preparation for that jump begins now. Every school year brings a slightly different routine, but here are a couple of tools I have found along the way.

1. Use a physical planner.

I am not sure if using a physical planner is now considered ‘old-school’, but what significantly helps ease the transition from summer to a full-course load is a durable planner. In an era where a digital planner may seem more practical, I care to disagree. Sure, with more and more professors requiring students to turn in your assignments digitally a digital planner may sound more appealing. However, you also run the risk of losing your plans along the way when facing a sea of open tabs, IT troubles, or even just being way too tired to look at a screen for much longer. So, what I recommend is scouting out the perfect planner for yourself, one that is durable enough to have in your book bag from August to May. What I love most about mine is that by physically writing down what I need to get done it visually eases my mind by seeing what I need to accomplish week-by-week. Many times I have a week where I get stressed about my workload, but once I write it all out, I see that I have more time to complete certain assignments than what I was expecting!

2. Cataloging texts for memorization.

This is something I have been proactive about since my first semester at college, and it has truly saved me a lot of trouble. When memorizing certain texts for class, I have always used an app to help me memorize my lines. There are plenty of line memorization apps to choose from, but the specific one I use is called Memorize by Heart. It has various tools to help you memorize that monologue you have been procrastinating to memorize, so sometimes it really comes in clutch. My favorite way to use it is by speaking into the app, and hearing it play back to me. This has been a game changer for me. Furthermore, it has helped me catalog every single monologue/scene I have needed to memorize since starting in my program. Monologues I was assigned in November 2021 are still cataloged. When auditioning, I check the audition requirements first, and then I am able to browse through previous texts I have performed.

3. Secure a getaway location to study/write.

This is fairly new for me, since I have begun writing more. Having a go-to place where you can go to study or write decreases your chances of procrastinating, enabling you to work more thoroughly. You know yourself best, so whatever environment is most comfortable for you to work in should do just fine. However, I know for myself I will get significantly less work done if I am in my dorm room sitting in my bed. The place I frequent most when I want to go off campus is Panera. It typically has the perfect amount of background noise, free wifi, and comfortable seating. Soup also pairs very well with studying, if I might add! Find a place that fits your needs.

I can’t quite predict the events of my senior year that are ahead of me, but what I do know is that these three things will improve my routine, no matter what. Be proactive, build a plan, and get ready to adapt to anything. We can do this!