By the SMU Social Media Team
The bad news: summer is well and truly over.
The good news: it’s a new school year, with new experiences and new friendships waiting to happen!
The start of semester is a great time to get organised: by the time Week 2 hits, we’ll all be caught up in the thick of things with nary a free moment to stop and think about what you’re doing.
To help you get your head in the game, we present to you our unofficial back-to-school checklist…
1. Clean up your laptop
There’s no greater productivity buzzkill than a laggy laptop. If your home screen /desktop, Downloads folder and Dropbox are still cluttered with last semester’s assignments, it’s time to sort them into folders and permanently delete the versions you know you’ll never refer to again. Run an antivirus sweep if you’re a Windows user; and if your system is a Mac consider running Disk Utility to repair permissions.
This is a good time to make sure that your OS is up to date, too!
2. Refresh your personal collaterals
Are you out of namecards? Print new ones before the next networking opportunity. Did you complete an internship over the summer? Update your CV and your LinkedIn profile!
And even if you haven’t changed your name since last semester, a new nametent is never a bad idea for getting you in the right frame of mind to start a brand new school year. (Freshies: if you still don’t know what a nametent is, it’s time to ask a friendly senior!)
3. Evaluate your finances
Maybe you’re feeling a bit richer than usual since you worked all summer and didn’t have much free time in which to spend your pay. Or perhaps you’ve been hitting up too many hipster cafes, and those $5–6 lattes have taken a toll on your bank balance. Either way, it’s time to plan your budget for the semester ahead, so that you don’t end up eating the same plate of economy mixed rice (with only two dishes!) every single day of study week.
Don’t forget to check out SMU’s Student Employment System for temp/part-time job opportunities, too.
4. Evaluate your wardrobe
That t-shirt from your own freshmen camp two years ago has been through thick and thin with you. It might have started out pristine white, but it’s now an indeterminate shade of grey/brown. In the words of a certain Queen Elsa – it’s time to Let It Go.
5. Bring an open mind
Whether it’s your first year or your last, the great thing about SMU is that there’s always a new experience waiting for you. You might discover an interesting CCA to join at VIVACE, or come across a community service project with a mission that you feel passionate about. And who knows, that 8.00am class that you dread having to wake up for might turn out to be your favourite module of the entire semester.
Now go forth, and have a great semester!
One thought on “The Unofficial Back-to-school Checklist”
LovingMe I worked in HR (Human Resources) for 8 years. With your dregee in Business Management you can do ANYTHING you want. Business Management means you KNOW how to get things done in Business. Look for work in a management position where you supervise others or are responsible for getting things done in a timely manner or in an administrative position working for a Manager, Department Head, Lawyer, Director or V.P. as their right hand’ person. Most people are good at their jobs but most DO NOT understand how their job impacts their co-workers, their department, managers, their company and the business world in general. With your dregee in Business Management you have a larger view of how things really work in business and how to get the job done.Best wishes