Back to School Guide
Back to school season is here, and with it comes the need for a prep session. This comprehensive guide aims to help parents and students plan for the best school year yet. From the latest useful devices to the hippest study spaces, we’ve got you covered.
Tips for Parents
Each September when a new school year rolls around, parents find themselves faced with hectic new schedules to coordinate — and in many cases, new hoops to jump through. Getting a plan together and sticking to it is your best bet for navigating this busy season. Here are some tips:
- Keep a record of dates. Get a copy of the school calendar and take note of important details. You don’t want to be rushing around the morning of.
- Buy supplies early.
- Make an appointment with your children’s pediatrician and make sure they’re up to date on required vaccinations. It’s a good idea to have their vision checked as well to head off any problems seeing the whiteboard!
- Prep lunch ideas.
- Tone those mental muscles with games and brainteasers to get your children in schoolwork mode.
- Start implementing an earlier bedtime and set routine so your children are ready to rise and shine.
Nifty Devices
Whether you’re a returning student or new in school, buying the right gear is a hugely important part of preparing for the #BacktoSchool life.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
Amazon’s latest Paperwhite is its best one yet. It has an improved design and waterproofing, making it perfect for catching up on a book on your way to class. With the all-new waterproof Kindle Paperwhite, you’re free to read and relax in more places, including the beach, pool, or bath. Paperwhite is IPX8 rated to protect against accidental immersion in up to two meters of fresh water for up to 60 minutes.
Available at Virgin Megastore BD62.9
Fitbit Ace 2
Fitbit Ace 2 is a water-resistant activity tracker for kids. This makes family time more fun by helping build healthy habits through motivating challenges and sleep tracking.
Available soon at Sharaf DG
Seagate Portable Hard Drive
Keeping regular data backups is crucial for college. Don’t wait until you accidentally delete a term paper or semester project before realizing the value of a backup drive. This 2 TB hard drive by Seagate strikes a good balance between price, capacity and portability.
Available at Sharaf DG BD44.9
Anker PowerCore II
USB battery packs are essential in today’s world of smartphones, and Anker’s 20,000mAh battery pack is one of the best around. It offers tons of charge and USB-C PD support for fast charging the latest smartphones and tablets — all in a portable size.
Available at Sharaf DG BD35.590
Insulated Water Bottle
Whether you need some water, tea, or coffee to get you through class or your work day, an insulated water bottle will keep whatever you drink cold or hot for as long as you need.
Study Apps
Forest
Forest is a unique productivity app that uses virtual trees to inspire users to better manage their time and go phone-free.
RefME
This nifty app uses your phone’s camera to scan a book’s barcode and create a citation formatted in MLA, Chicago, or whatever format your school uses.
StudyBlue
Allows users to upload class study materials, create electronic flashcards to study and share with others, and practice quizzes.
Mint
Managing personal finances is a constant struggle for many students. Take charge of your finances with Mint’s online budget planner.
Canva
Use Canva’s drag-and-drop feature and layouts to design, share and print business cards, logos, presentations and more.
Study Tips for Students
- Have a designated study space.
- Put the phone away.
- Fuel your mind and make sure to eat a good meal before you dive into the books.
- Stay organized.
- Take handwritten notes. Just reading chapters in a textbook might not be enough for you to retain the knowledge you need to ace a test.
- Turn your notes into flashcards.
- Split up your work.
- Review consistently.
- Quiz yourself.
- Identify how you learn the best.