Rolla High School has been back in session for a week now, but many students continue to struggle with getting up in the mornings and making it through the school day. Here are a few ideas to get you out of the back to school funk.

• Carry a water bottle
  • Staying hydrated is important for keeping your body functioning, and it can help you stay awake and alert throughout the day.
• Bring your earbuds
  • Not every teacher will let you use your phones, even to listen to music, but listening to music when you get the chance is always a good idea to help you feel more prepared for whatever comes your way.
• Get a planner
  • School and homework can be pretty overwhelming, and having a planner is an efficient and easy way to keep track of everything you have to do.
• Invest in a quality backpack
  • Let’s be honest, during the school year your backpack is pretty much your closest acquaintance. That means that you need to take care of yourself and get a backpack that won’t rip open or have the zipper break after two months, as well as one with good padding in the shoulders to keep from damaging your back too much.
• Spend a little time outside
  • Now that you’re back in school, any chance to be in the great outdoors has been severely limited. Try taking your dog for a walk, going for a jog, or even just sitting in your yard while you study to soak up a little bit of Vitamin D. (Just don’t forget your sunscreen!)
• Eat your breakfast
  • Oftentimes high school students don’t have time for much more than coffee in the mornings, or they decide they aren’t hungry enough to eat.  However, breakfast continues to be known as the most important meal of the day for good reason, as eating early in the morning starts up your metabolism and helps keep you awake and happy for the rest of the day.
• Take a nap
  • Students are far too busy during the day and completely neglect their sleep schedules, but that’s both dangerous and stressful. When you get the chance in the afternoons, step away from whatever you’re working on and rest, even if it’s just fifteen minutes. Whether you actually sleep or not, getting some rest will make you feel better.
• Smile!
  • Everyone knows that high school can be infinitely stressful, but take a moment to appreciate the little things that make you happy. Although no one can say when the best years of your life really are, no matter how your high school journey goes it’s a major influence in pretty much everything else you do in life. Let yourself find whatever you can to make you happy, and let yourself smile to let the world know that you’ve found it.

Hopefully you’ve found something helpful on this list to help you out in surviving your days at Rolla High. After all, it’s always a great day to be a bulldog.