LIFE

Picture this: You're super tired of not doing anything this summer, and you're so excited to head back to school. You get to see your besties, meet new ones and get a fresh start. During the first week, you meet your teachers, memorize your locker combination and sit through cringe-worthy icebreakers to get to know your classmates. But once that's all over, the school year can feel *very* overwhelming. These four easy ways to stay motivated will boost your productivity and make sure your school year is amaze. 

1. Try out planning notepads

Amazon, $9

We get it: you probably bought that suuuper cute planner that you were so excited to use, and you haven't touched it since the first day. It happens to the best of us. But if you're someone who forgets things immediately, unless you write it down, you're in luck! There are plenty of to-do list notepads that are affordable and easy to use. The best part about these is that they're there for you when you need them. If you don't have anything going on for a day or a week, there's no pressure to use up the pad. Try it out on a day when you've got a basketball game, an English paper to work on and a math test to study for. Your stress will thank you!

2. Create the perf desk space

@aworldfullofstudies

Let's ⚠️Be Real⚠️ : we never get anything done when we study on a bed. It's so comfy that we end up either forgetting everything we read, or we fall asleep. If this sounds like you, it might be time to clear off that clutter on your desk and start studying there. Put on your headphones, blast your fav pump-up playlist and start creating the perfect aesthetic desk space. If you like your desk, your chances of using it will go up. Lights, plants and whatever else you might need to spice up your desk space are pretty affordable on sites like Amazon and Walmart. Top it off with your fave beverage and you've got the perf desk space to do some productive studying! 

3. Find the study playlist that works for *you*

@petype.m

Listening to music while studying can be a good thing or a bad thing. If you're someone who loves driving with the windows open while singing along to Taylor Swift, you probably shouldn't listen to her while you study for that history test worth half your semester grade. Sure, you could listen to something more low key. However, you don't want to get distracted from your studying playlist. It's best to avoid music with lyrics in it so you can focus on the words or numbers you're reading. For studying, lo-fi beats or classical music is the way to go. Spotify and Apple Music have hundreds of different playlists that you can choose from to get in the right mindset.

4. Plan fun rewards for yourself

Remember, it's OK to take a break. Part of making sure you're motivated during the school year is knowing when you have time to reward yourself for all the hard work you accomplished. It can be big, like a shopping spree at the mall, or small, like getting a coffee after that Spanish test you studied for. Make sure that you make time for these fun events: they are an important part of improving your mental health.

Good luck slaying the rest of the school year

Need more school advice? Check out these GL posts:

📝 Try these study hacks to end your procrastination habits
📝 How to balance extracurriculars with schoolwork
📝 How to start bullet journaling this school year

How do you stay motivated during the school year? Let us know on Twitter! @girlslifemag

Top image: @milkbiancacakes
Slider image: @gabi_iiiii
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by Rory Durso | 10/13/2022