It can be a challenge for both students and parents to get back into the swing of things at the beginning of the school year. For many students, summer vacation means getting to stay up past their normal bedtime or waking up later than usual in the morning. In order to set the tone for a successful school year, it’s important to establish and maintain a daily routine. We asked for advice from PA Virtual High School Guidance Counselor, Crystal Widmann and she shared some tips that can help both parents and students alike.
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Schedule a specific bedtime.
A successful school day starts with getting a good night’s rest the night before, so you can wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. It might take some time to adjust to an earlier bedtime, but the more consistent you are with it, the easier it will become as the year progresses.
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Wake up at the same time each day.
It’s important to get in the habit of waking up around the same time every morning because it provides you with a consistent sleep schedule. Crystal Widmann, a guidance counselor at PA Virtual Charter School, also notes that this “will help to set your internal clock so you don’t feel tired in the morning. It will also help you begin to get tired at the same time each night.” -
Start each day with a nutritious breakfast.
It’s important to nourish your body with a healthy breakfast each morning to provide you with energy and essential nutrients. It also helps with concentration and focus throughout the school day, so be sure to give yourself enough time for this meal, even if you only have something light.
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Set a schedule to complete homework or to study.
If possible, try to do your homework at the same time each night, preferably earlier in the evening. This provides more structure to your day, prevents any assignments being pushed closer to bedtime, and can help to defeat procrastination, leading to more productive days. Widmann also adds that “even if you don’t have any homework on a particular night, use that time to review materials or get organized.”
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Eliminate the number of decisions you have to make in the morning.
Planning anything you can ahead of time will help to prevent rushing around in the morning. Widmann suggests to “set your clothes out the night before, and eat an easy breakfast that’s either already prepared or easy to prepare.” These are good habits to get into in order to avoid added stress in the morning.
PA Virtual is a public cyber charter school serving students across the state of Pennsylvania in grades k-12. To learn more about our 20 year history, you can request more information here.
