How to Stress Less When You Head Back to Campus

It’s that time of year again! Summer is coming to a close, which means it’s time to swap beach bags filled with pool stuff for backpacks filled with school stuff. Between gearing up for classes, moving back to campus, and adjusting to a new schedule, there’s a lot to handle. This fall, set yourself up for a successful school year with our handy guide for easing back-to-school anxiety.

1. Make yourself a schedule. In the back-to-school hustle and bustle, it can be overwhelming trying to remember everything that needs to be done. Beforehand, make a manageable schedule to follow, complete with reasonable to-do lists for each day. For example, spend one day getting your keys to your apartment and unpacking. The next day can be spent buying your textbooks and finding your classes on campus. Everything is less stressful with a well-thought-out plan!
2. Stock up on school supplies. You probably won’t know everything you need for each course until syllabus week, but you can purchase your “must-haves” before classes begin. Get a good daily planner, a few sturdy notebooks, and writing utensils. Things like sticky notes and highlighters are always useful too. Feeling prepared will help you feel less stressed, and the first day of classes will feel much less overwhelming!
3. Write a list of anything you’re stressed or worried about. No, this isn’t to hang up over your bed so you can dwell on these things day and night. Instead, write out your stressors and jot down potential solutions next to each one! Worried about getting lost on campus? Find all of your classes the day before. Anxious about not getting along with your roommate? Create a list of casual house “rules,” and pick out a place on campus that can be your escape when you need a break! Seeing all of your worries on paper can make them seem more manageable.
4. Skip the hassle of transporting or purchasing furniture, and rent it instead. You have enough to deal with when you move back to campus – buying an apartment’s worth of IKEA furniture or hauling old dressers up flights of stairs shouldn’t be on your to-do list. CORT can deliver and set up your entire apartment with stylish furniture you’ve picked out. Plus, they’ll come pick it all up when the school year is over! The best part? CORT packages start as low as $99 a month for student furniture rental.
5. Plan a fun “back-to-school” dinner or party with your friends! Once your furniture has been delivered and set-up, show it off by having a back-to-school dinner party for your friends! Don’t even worry about cooking – do it potluck style and ask everyone to bring something. Kick off the school year, say your official goodbye to summer, and reconnect with friends you didn’t see all summer.

Furnishing your apartment is one of the most stressful parts of heading back to campus. With CORT’s help, setting up your new apartment can be easy breezy. In fact, it might just be the easiest thing you do all semester (except for Basket Weaving 101, perhaps). Learn more about CORT’s student rental packages today!