Happy back to school season! This year has been so weird, and time seems to be simultaneously flying by and also going so slow. Most people are heading back to school in the next few weeks, even though for most of us that means logging back on to Zoom University. I wanted to share some of my favorite things to do before the start of a new semester to get organized and get my life slightly more together. These tips are geared toward law students, but can easily be applied to undergrad or other grad programs! I hope you all enjoy, and make sure you stay tuned for lots of new and exciting content coming soon.

1. Make sure your schedule is finalized- Every school has different add/drop schedules, but now is a great time to make sure your schedule is all good to go. Also, if you will be doing school remotely all semester but registered for classes in the spring, you might want to move around class times or try to take shorter classes if possible!
2. Deep clean your apartment/ home- It is so easy to procrastinate cleaning when you get busy with school. I would highly recommend DEEP cleaning your space before school starts. Now is the time to clean, organize, get rid of things you don’t use anymore etc.
3. Computer updates & organization- Now is a great time to make sure your computer software is up to date as well as Microsoft. Also, I like to go through and delete all of my old files and emails, back up files, and make sure I have plenty of storage space on my computer.
4. Get a new planner- I know some people plan entirely on their computer but having a physical planner is a game changer. I plan on doing a post going super in depth about how I use my planner. I use the day designer from Target. It’s super affordable and gives plenty of space for each day. If you haven’t already bought a new planner, now is a great time, and you can figure out how you want to organize your new classes if you’re a color coding fan.
5. Go through your syllabi and add important dates to your planner- Take time to go through the syllabi for your classes. Make sure you add all of the important dates to your planner/ Google Cal. I also like to set up a rough outline in my notes for readings/ topics and make note of Professor’s office hours.
6. Finalize financial aid- If you’re taking out loans, double check that everything is good to go. And if you’re taking out extra money for living expenses, make sure you know how that money will be dispersed to you. For my school, it’s via direct deposit, but just make sure you don’t miss any deadlines!
7. Make a budget- Now is a great time to sit down and look at your finances. Make a spreadsheet of your income/ expenses/ loans to avoid spending too much money early on in the semester.
8. Take time to relax- I know this post makes me seem like I’m obsessed with organizing, which I definitely am, but make sure you soak up the last little bit of summer and take time for you. Watch some trashy reality tv, read some books, exercise, whatever floats your boat. Take these last few days or weeks to get in the best possible headspace before going back to the chaos that is law school.