I know at the University of Michigan we're lucky and don't start classes until after Labor Day, so I'm sure many of y'all have already figured out your routine for this semester! However, I don't think you can ever overstate the importance of creating a productive and efficient routine to your days at school.

Think about it: in high school, every day had a similar structure. You got to school at the same time, ended the day at the same time, and while the classes you had probably differed each day, the overall structure of the day never really varied. In college, I know people who have 8 a.m. classes twice a week, one day where they don't start until noon and two other days where they start class at 10 a.m. That's a big difference!

Having a routine is so important because, over time, your brain will begin to anticipate and prepare for the next step in your day! We've all had those days where we feel like we're running around like a chicken with its head cut off, and I personally believe that having a consistent routine is crucial in avoiding those days as much as possible. A lot of people know the importance of having a morning routine, but I feel that having at least a basic outline for your whole day is important as well.

When structuring a routine, you need to think about what things you need to do every day, what meetings/events you have on a consistent basis (i.e., a club that meets every Tuesday at 8 p.m.,) and, obviously, what classes you have! I always start by writing down a schedule of the events I know I have for that day, such as class and meetings. Once I have that down, then I can fill in the gaps with the things I need or want to get done. I try to structure my routines so that even if every day doesn't have the same pattern, at least all my Mondays are the same, and all my Tuesdays are the same, and so on.

I find that keeping a routine for every day allows me to let go of any worry about what I have coming up or how I'm going to fit everything into my day. By making a consistent and productive routine to get all the necessary tasks done each day, when things come up like special events, extra meetings, or just a game night with my friends, I know I can fit that in with no issues.

Having a routine is my #1 secret to being as stress-free as possible, and I highly recommend trying to make a daily routine for yourself, especially if you're feeling scattered!