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I can't believe it's already August. It feels like just yesterday I was playing in the snow in January. How crazy. Of course with August comes the dreaded question: "When do you go back to school?" It's almost like people with jobs are laughing at you each time they bring it up. To be honest, they'd probably give anything to go back to school. We have it easy right now. Well, maybe not during finals but we do for most of the semester. And since school is creeping up on us once again, I think it's important for us to chat about some good habits to develop within the first month back.

• Do not put off your papers/assigned readings/projects. I know that you think because it is the beginning of the year that you will have plenty of time to do all of your assignments. And you will, if you do them in a timely manner. If it took the Lord more than one day to make the earth, it is going to take you more than one day to write a paper... well to write a good paper. What I'm saying is that you should allow yourself enough time to do your best. Don't put off what you have to do. 
• Buy school supplies that motivate you. I told you all about my love for planners and stationary. It puts me in a learning mood, so I like to have it organized and ready for use. When you have cute notebooks or new pencils, it can make taking notes more fun. I think so at least. At the very least, try and have something that you like with you in your notebook. Put stickers on it, have your friends write notes or even draw on some index cards and slip them in the plastic of your binder. Making your school supplies fun to look at will make studying more fun.
• And lastly, be patient with yourself. It's easy to fall into a funk in the beginning of the school year. It's not always fun to leave behind our swimsuits in exchange for textbooks but it is something we have to do. It's okay to not do well in the beginning -- in fact, I find that my first test grades are usually my worst -- but remember that you have time to improve and that one bad grade is not the end of the world. You are always going to be more than the grades that you made in school -- but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't do your best.

 I hope you guys are pumped about going back to school. However, if you are having trouble with the change, I hope these tips help to get you back in the school mood.

catch you later,
Karleigh

"Instruction does much, but encouragement everything." // Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Letter to A.F. Oeser, Nov. 9, 1768