When we were little, prepping for the first day of school was easy. All our friends needed the same things we did; teachers gave us lists; and our parents dragged us around Target gathering all the things we need. Not at OU! At best, you get notified of the books you need, and the luckiest get a syllabus, like, 3 days before the academic year starts. No one likes to walk into a class unprepared – it’s like those dreams where you show up to school naked. And you don’t have to start your first day unprepared; you just have to DIY your supplies list and try to cover all your bases.
Here’s our best advice for how to make sure you hit the ground running when OU’s classes start back up:
Registration
We cannot stress enough how important being on top of your class schedule is. Learn how to read your DARS, learn what’s required of your major, and plan 2 entire schedules before your appointed registration time opens. Then, on the day and time you’re allowed to register, get on it ASAP. The more on top of it you are, the more likely you are to get your Plan A schedule without incident!
Laptop
Your laptop doesn’t have to be anything fancy. In fact, a Chromebook or the like is the best option for something that you can take notes on with a long-lasting battery. They’re small and fit into almost any bag, and if you’re just using Docs, the battery will last you 12 hours.
Books
Many professors will give you the general vibe of how important the books they use are for your success in the class. You really should always get the recommended books ahead of time, because some profs dive right in on the first day of classes. But don’t go straight for the bookstore – you can save hundreds of dollars by renting from online sources, buying used, or getting the previous edition of the one listed on the syllabus.
Schedule
Whether it’s a physical planner or a Google calendar, once you know your class schedule, write it out. This will help you manage your time – studying, going to work, hanging out with friends at the bars uptown. The more prepared you go into your semester, the smoother it will go.
Budget
We don’t have to tell you how quickly the weekly cost of Bagel Street lunches, after-class beers, weekend cocktails, and late-night burritos from Big Mama’s gets out of hand. We don’t mean you should cut any of that out, but you should have a budget set that you keep track of. It’s especially easy now with apps like Mint. You don’t want to have a really fun September only to find that you’ve only got money for rent and ramen in October.
Supplies
You need folders, notebooks, bluebooks, pens, pencils, highlighters, a calculator. You know – all the not-fun parts of our elementary school supply lists. If it hurts your heart too much, pick up some crayons and an adult coloring book while you’re at it, because mental health is important.
This checklist is crucial for any student, whether a Freshman or a Senior. If you make sure you’ve got all your ducks in a row before that first morning when you realize that your Summer fun truly is over and it’s time to resume your 7am Starbucks habit, so that your semester starts and stays streamlined.