While it might not be your first university or college semester, we want to help make this transition from summer to classroom a smooth one. Here are a few back to college tips to make your first, second, third or fourth back-to-college experience the easiest one yet.

Books Before
If you haven’t experienced your schools bookstore the first day or classes, don’t do it. If you have experienced the chaos, don’t do it again. Sometimes professors don’t give out their required textbook list until classes have begun, if this is the case, you have no choice but to tough out the bookstore the first week of classes, brace yourself for the insanity. If your professors have sent out the textbook list then be sure to get those books stat! If you’re keen to save some cash, check amazon.com for deals on new and used textbooks. Be sure to make sure you are purchasing the right version with or with out specific revisions preferred by your professor if you do buy online.

Get Settled
Nestling into your new place should be one of your top priorities when starting a new semester. Having a place to call home is important. You want to feel cozy and comfortable in your new place before scrambling with a new schedule. We recommend choosing a place in your room or in the living room where you will study and keep your textbooks and other school supplies. A school focused area should be as distraction free as possible and not be too stuffy so you can camp out for a couple hours at a time if needed.

Stock Up
Groceries, groceries, groceries. We can’t say it enough, get your groceries. Super markets will be buzzing the night before school starts. Write down a grocery list and get to the grocery store a few days before the entire campus is thinking the same thing. There is nothing worse than running out the door for class and realizing you don’t have anything to eat, especially on the first day.

Passes
Whether it’s your parking pass, bus pass or student ID, get them before the first day of classes so you can navigate on to campus and on campus with ease.

Don’t Forget
You probably have a pretty big packing list and to-do-list before heading off to school again, but don’t forget about the little stuff! Remember all your cords for your printer and have an extra stash of ink for all the syllabuses you’ll be printing. Bring any important documents you may need for registration like your passport, admission acceptance letter, accommodation terms, passport, bank details, checkbook, insurance documents and student loan documents. Touches of home make all the difference to your new home, be sure to pack a few things to make your new space feel like your own.

This list isn’t too frightful, but as you can tell, it is best to tackle things early. Set aside a day or two before school starts to knock out this “to-do-list” and stay ahead of the game. You’ll be ready to socialize right away and dive into a new school year with out the lingering start up tasks. So run around campus, unpack, stop by the super market and then relax, you’ve earned it and need it before another semester begins!