Back to School with Emily Jane

Ahhh already the end of the holidays - they flew past so quickly! I have a very exciting collab for you today with the lovely Emily from Emily Jane Blog! We have combined our ideas to create a "back to school" post with sections ranging from advice to easy school lunches. I hope you enjoy it!

Staying Organised
School can get very busy - especially when Assessments are on - but if you keep organised, the workload can be manageable and you will also have time to have a life outside of school! Here are my top 10 tips - I hope that they help you! If you have any other ideas, feel free to post them in the comments box.

1. Use a monthly/ weekly planner 
This can be used to write down all homework/ assignments, so that you can see what needs to be done and how much time you have to do them. This is when you will need to prioritise to work out what needs to be done sooner and what can wait.

2. Set aside a clear and tidy place to study/ complete homework 
I find that when my desk is cluttered, so is my head. Spending a few minutes tidying up can help you to concentrate and get work done more efficiently, without being distracted.

3. Get started on homework/ assignments as soon as you get them, don’t put them off!
Whether you start your work straight away, or continuously put it off - you will still have to do it! Make it easier for yourself and just start as soon as you get it, even if something isn't due for a week.

4. Keep work from difference subjects separate
Whether it is on or off the computer, organising work into separate folders is vital as all subjects have quite different content and material, so you want to keep them reasonably distinctive meaning that you don't get them jumbled up and confuse yourself. It also makes it easier to move from subject to subject and have all of the information (for each subject) in one place.

5. Listen and take notes in class 
This helps you to absorb what is being said and of course remember it!

6. Daily to-do lists I like to do these as soon as I get home from school so that I know what needs to be done on that day. I have made one which you are welcome to use to help you to keep organised this term. You can find it here.

7. Manage time well 
Firstly, don’t take on more than you can do. If you are finding that too much is going on, it is sometimes best to drop one of your committments. Secondly, make sure that you spend the necessary time on each thing and if you want to do more than is required, complete other work that you need to do and come back to it if you have extra time.

8. Organise lunch, uniform, books etc. the night before 
This makes mornings a lot less stressful and means you can relax a bit more. Scroll down for some school lunch ideas! Also see Emily's section on "what's in my school bag."

9. Take regular, short breaks in between study/ homework 
Taking a 5-10 minute break every hour or so can help you to clear your head and then refocus on the task again. Also ensure you are working with good lighting as well as drinking water regularly, to avoid headaches.

10. Get plenty of sleep
Getting around 8-10 hours asleep is extremely important - especially for teenagers. Sleep helps the body to work properly as while you are asleep, new pathways are formed in your brain to help you to learn and remember information.

Easy school lunches
Isn't it the worst feeling when you get to lunch break and realise that you made yourself a really bad lunch? That's why I have put together three lunch ideas which are super easy but also super delicious! Feel free to create your own combinations or just add in some of the ideas into your lunch box this week!

School lunch One //

Veggie sticks
Strawberries
Carman's Apricot Muesli Bar
Spinach and Ricotta Pasta with Lemon juice

School lunch Two //

Fruit Skewers

 Pear, parmesan and rocket salad w/ walnuts

Homemade popcorn

Rice crackers with avocado

School lunch Three //

Veggie skewes
Dark chocolate strawberries w/ chia seed
Trail mix
Rainbow salad - celery, tomato, spinach, beetroot and carrot

...

For part 2 of the collab, see Emily Jane's post here, featuring advice and "what's in my school bag." 

Hope you enjoyed this post - have a great week back at school!

xxx

Georgia