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The start of the semester can be exciting.

New classes, new professors, and a chance for a fresh start!

But as a college student myself, I know that it can also be overwhelming.

Coming out of a long break, it’s easy to feel just a little bit disorganized and unprepared.

Before the start of every semester, I like to reset and do a couple of things to prep before the first day of classes.

I find that doing these nine things can help set me up for success and make the first week a lot less stressful.

These are tips freshman and upperclassman alike can benefit from, and I really hope they help you out this semester!

Here are nine things every college student should do before the start of the semester.

How To Prepare For The New Semester

#1: Get A Planner

I know, I know. Kind of an obvious one, but still extremely important.

Whether it’s a physical planner, notepad, Google calendar, or something else, make sure you have some sort of method to keep track of assignments, deadlines, and other important stuff.

Trust me, it helps a lot.

The other important factor here is to get that situated before classes begin. You probably won’t have much to write down on the first day, but you’ll still want to be prepared if you do.

I personally use a combination of a physical planner and a free digital task management system called Notion.

Figure out what method you like best and do what works best for you!

#2: Walk Through Your Schedule

The second tip I have for you is a favorite of mine.

To help familiarize yourself with where your classes are and minimize your chances of being late the first week, “walk” your entire schedule beforehand.

Have your schedule on your phone or printed out and go to each class’s location before the first day to make sure you know where it is.

This is especially important for first year or transfer students who may not be familiar with the campus beforehand.

Upperclassmen can definitely benefit from this too if their schedule lists any new buildings they’re unfamiliar with.

A great tip for finding your way around campus is to use Google Maps!

Literally plug in the building you want to go to and you’re golden.

This saved my life during my first week at college and helped me get to class a lot faster.

After that first week or two, you’ll start to know how to get around campus pretty easily and won’t need the app as much.

#3: Get School Supplies

This is a pretty straightforward one!

If your professors reached out saying to make sure you have certain supplies before the first day, make sure you have them.

If they haven’t reached out, I recommend waiting until the first week of classes to purchase supplies.

This is because once you’re in class, your professors may tell you that the supplies required are available for free or for a lower price somewhere else.

They may even tell you that the supplies are merely a suggestion and you don’t need to purchase them at all.

I’ve had that happen to me a few times and it’s always a pleasant surprise!

Regardless, make sure you stock up on basic supplies like notebooks, pens, and pencils before your first day.

#4: Prepare Your School Bag

This next tip is all about preparing your school bag before the first day.

Pretty straightforward:

Pick out the bag you plan on using and put all the stuff you’ll need for class inside so you don’t have to think about it when it’s time to leave for class.

That kind of last minute packing is a surefire way to make your day a lot more stressful than it needs to be.

You know what you need to pack the best based on your specific classes and routine, but here are some general essentials I’d recommend having in your bag:

Planner
Pens/pencils
Laptop
Laptop Charger
Water Bottle
Umbrella (nothing is worse than being stuck on campus without one)
Dorm/Apartment Keys
School ID
Chapstick

Portable Phone Charger

Any other specific school supplies you were told to bring

A related tip for choosing your school bag is to take into account how you plan on getting to class (more on transportation in the next tip).

For example, if you’re biking, a backpack will stay on a lot easier than a shoulder bag while you’re on your bike.

Choose a bag that’s the most comfortable and convenient for however you plan on getting to class.

Take into account its weight when packed, too! Lugging a heavy bag across campus everyday is no fun and can be quite painful for your back and shoulders.

#5: Figure Out Transportation

The next thing all college students should do before the first day of class is determine how you’re getting to class.

AKA: what mode of transportation you’re planning on using and any other details associated with it.

Are you planning on biking, using a skateboard, riding a scooter, driving, taking a bus, a campus shuttle, or just plain walking?

Once you determine what method you want to use, make sure you get anything else you need to settled before the first day of class.

For example, if you plan on biking to class, remember to get your bike ready by doing things like pumping air into its tires.

If you’re taking a bus or a shuttle, look up the schedule ahead of time so you know where your bus stops and at what time.

I suggest screenshotting or bookmarking the schedule in some way so you can always refer back to it.

Or even better, check if your bus/shuttle system has an app that tells you in real time when the bus is coming or if there’s a delay.

My campus shuttle has one of these and it makes things a lot more convenient than looking at a static schedule online.

Once you know how you’re getting to class, you can use my tip on “walking” your schedule from earlier and test out your mode of transportation.

I recommend timing how long it takes you to get from your dorm/apartment to class so you can plan out how long in advance you should leave for class.

Personally, I use a combination of walking, biking, and taking the campus shuttle!

#6: Organize Your Living Space

My final tip for you is to organize your living space before classes start.

You might already be doing this if you’re moving into a brand new dorm or apartment like many students do every year, and that’s great!

Whether you’re moving or staying in your same space, I find that taking the time to reorganize and do some general cleaning and decluttering makes me feel a lot less stressed about the upcoming semester.

Plus, it’s no secret that having a clear space helps many people focus a lot better, which is a tip busy college students should absolutely use to their advantage.

On a similar note, one area of your space you should pay special attention to is your desk or work area.

This is somewhere you’ll probably be spending a lot of time throughout the semester.

So, taking the time now to organize and decorate it can really make a positive difference later on when you’re sitting and working on assignments.

#7: Have Your Schedule Easily Accessible

At the start of your semester, you’ll probably be referencing your schedule quite often to double check times, locations, and information for all of your classes.

When you do this, it’s a huge help if you already have your schedule handy in a place where it’s easily accessible and simple to read.

This can mean anything from writing it down in your planner, using a calendar, dry erase board, simply keeping a screenshot handy, or whatever method works best for you.

I typically input my schedule into a digital calendar so it automatically repeats on a weekly basis.

Some great ones you can use are Google Calendar and Notion (my personal favorite).

#8: Have A Digital Decluttering Session

This next step is something that I think gets overlooked a lot, but I feel it’s extremely important.

You’ll hear about decluttering your physical space (more on that in the next step), but have you ever thought of decluttering your digital space?

Think tasks like deleting old files, deleting extra photos and videos, getting rid of apps you don’t use, reorganizing your files, closing open tabs, setting up important bookmarks, clearing your inbox, and more.

As a college student, you probably use your phone and computer a lot, so even a small decluttering session will help you start the semester off feeling fresh and organized!

#9: Declutter Your Workspace

And finally, this step is another decluttering one, but focusing on your physical space this time.

If I can, I like to do an apartment deep clean before the semester starts, but if you’re like me, you might not have the time.

In that case, I suggest just focusing on your desk or workspace.

Even if the rest of your place is a bit messy, having a clear and organized space to work at will help keep you focused and motivated when doing homework.

Outro & Closing Thoughts

So, that brings me to the end of my post about how to prepare for the new semester.

I hope you find these tips helpful and wishing you the best of luck as you begin a new semester. You’ve got this!

Thanks for reading my post “How To Prepare For The New Semester! (9 Things To Do To Set Yourself Up For Success).”

If you loved this post, be sure to check out some of my other ones:

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How To Prepare For The New Semester! (9 Essential Steps)