Maria's Howto: Back to School!

We see back-to-school guides everywhere. They range from how to reinvent yourself for school, how to adjust from summer to school, how to get ready for school, what to buy for school, everything. This is a quick guide that doesn't tell you exactly what to do - it gives leeway for you do develop your own style.

1. BE. HAPPY. You don't have to be happy-happy constant smiles, but for the first two weeks, its a good idea to attempt to be positive. If you get upset when something relatively bad happens, other people get this "depressed" and "downer" kind of vibe.

• Smile! Never sacrifice your emotions for how people might view you, but smiling naturally brings up feelings of happiness. If you're feeling down, smile for strangers, and then rant about it to your close friends, who know you're not a downer.
• Stay positive! In the event of a relatively bad situation, remain positive. You failed a test - not a big deal. It's the first two weeks, you have plenty more assignments and tests to bring up your grade. Your teacher doesn't like you? Who cares? You only have that teacher for a total of 5 hours out of 168 per week, you can live!
• Look confident! As much "swag" as some of us may have, we all are insecure about certain things. In the face of bullying and insecurity, act like you have no idea what they're talking about. Fake it 'till you make it.
• Have fun! If your not the most confident person out there, and even if your a bit of a downer, nothing is more pleasing than just having fun.
• DON'T: Be fake. When serious tragedy strikes, don't cover up your emotions with fake smiles. Friends will know what you're going through and stay supportive, but strangers might not get it. In cases like this, screw strangers. They don't know your story, so why should they judge?

2. Talk to people! There are multiple ways to befriend, talk to, or just make small talk with people.

• Ask questions! Don't overdo it though. People love to talk about themselves, and because it's the new school year, there are plenty of good conversation topics. "How was your summer?" "What did you do?" "Have you talked with ___ lately?" "Who do you have for Science?" Things like that will get the conversation going.
• Compliment people! If you feel like somebody is very shy and couldn't hold up a conversation, start by complimenting them! If you don't know the person, compliment their physical attributes. "You're hair is so pretty!" "I love your sneakers!" If your complimenting a girl, don't ask "Where'd you get it?". Girls can be defense, and not want others to copy them.
• Be open to friendship! Sometimes, the most opposite of people can end up becoming your best and loyal friends. When somebody
• Friendly, not friends. Not everyone is willing to be friends with everyone, but everyone is okay being friendly with people. Don't force yourself to be friends with everyone, just kind and friendly. And you don't even have to be friendly with everyone. It's okay to have a distaste for the preppy kids or the gothic emo ones.
• DON'T: Gossip. It's one thing to say "Do you like ___'s new hair color?", but don't say "It looks like ___ gained weight!" Gossip does seem like a bonding activity, but in reality, it makes you look shallow. For the most part, stick to kindness. And don't say anything about somebody, that you wouldn't say to somebody's face.

3. Prepare yourself. Mentally, and physically. Having all of your school supplies is useless if you're still in summer-mode. And if you're wide-awake by 6am, have reviewed everything you learned last year, and already planned your after-school schedule, but don't have your materials, you're pretty screwed.

• Friends aren't as avaliable. School-year sports start, people have homework, and don't forget the 6 hours that are spent at school. Weekends are prime time to hang out - but also recognize that some people may want to rejuvinate and relax by themselves after a stressful week. Internet friends aren't avaliable either. Alot of times, schools in Europe constitute entrance exams, then beginning-of-the-year exams. And yes, while you were on at 10:00pm, while it was 4am for them, that probably won't happen during the school year. If your friends live in Asia, then figure out a schedule so that both of you can study, and talk.
• Buy materials. The basis of school - having materials. Remind your parents that the days of having a notebook, a few pencils and an eraser for school are long gone. Don't be afraid to spend good money for the materials that you truly need. Buy a nice outfit too!While not neccesary, if you can afford it, then a good outfit will go a long way! Especially since you're growing, and last years jeans maybe don't fit.
• Meditate. You have your clothes, materials, schedule, and 6am alarm, but you still aren't ready. Simply relax - this isn't your very first day of school, you know what to expect.
• Start going to bed early. This, out of everything neccesary for school, is definetely the hardest. But you can't keep up your "go to bed at 2am, wake up at 2pm" routine for school. Start setting your alarm.
• Prepare for the day. Yes, it's going to be mega stressful, and you may screw up, but here are a few things to do in advance, to prevent less mistakes. 1) Set out your clothes in advance 2) Pack your materials in advance 3) Set your alarm WAY in advance.
• DON'T: Freak out. It seems stressful, but once again, as previously mentioned, you know what to expect. Even if your moving from elementary school to middle school, or from middle school to high school, switching schools, moving to a completely different school/state/country, or even crossing the language border, know that it's okay. Schools are built to learn, and having friends and being in clubs is just the benefits of being there.

I won't say good luck, because I don't believe in luck, but my blessings go out to everyone who is reading this. Have a great school year! Study hard, and play harder!