Whether it’s your first day as a university freshman, or your last year as a graduate student, the lead up to heading back to school can be a trying time. Between packing, moving, registering for classes and the dreaded campus book store adventure, getting prepared for the new term is hard work, even before you step into the classroom. One of the best ways to cope with this stressful time is to organize as much as possible prior to arriving on campus.

Here are a few tips to help make the back to school experience as stress-free as possible:  

·         Get yourself connected: It’s a rare student that can handle life offline for even a short period of time, so arrange to have your Internet hook-up coordinated before you even leave home. That way, you’re not competing with all of the other students scrambling to have their Internet connected during that final pre-class period. Even better: if possible, have the installation completed before you arrive on campus to avoid any downtime.

·         Invest in a good PC:  The last thing any student wants is to spend time working on essays or projects and then lose them due to an unreliable PC. If yours could use a refresh, now is the time to look online and in local fliers for deals on PCs. The past year has seen PC prices drop, so take advantage of these already good discounts—not to mention great back to school sales. Remember that the most expensive PC isn’t necessarily the best for what you need to do, so talk to your friends and family, and find a machine that fits in with your budget. Remember to check for manufacturers offering Windows Vista PCs now with free upgrade options to Windows 7 when it launches in late October.

·         Use your networks: Arriving onto a new campus can be overwhelming and potentially a little lonely. Before you even arrive at your new school or in your new city, take advantage of your social networks—chances are you’ll know someone who either attends or has attended your university. Ask questions and find out what’s important to you: where’s the best place for coffee? Where’s the closest movie theatre? Where’s the best place to study in the library? Knowing some of the answers to these questions in advance will make your arrival in a new place much less stressful.  

While nothing will completely eliminate those new school jitters, being organized and in control of what you can manage prior to starting school will go a long way to getting you through those first few weeks and let you focus on your class.