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5 tips for a successful school year

5 tips to prepare for a successful school year

child smiling and playing on playground equipment

Back-to-school season is officially here. | Photo via Pexels

Early alarms. Carpool traffic. Shopping lists. You know what time it is — back-to-school season.

The transition back to school can be equally exciting and nerve-racking for children and parents alike. Here are five ways you can help your child ace the start of a new school year.

Pro tip: Teens, college students, and parents — and, heck, just about anyone in a busy season of life — can benefit from following these tips, too.

1. Establish a routine

The struggle of early mornings after the flexibility of a summertime schedule is real. The best way to adjust is by establishing a routine (read: make your mornings + evenings easier). Pro tip: Write down your family’s routine, after-school activities, and important reminders on a weekly calendar to get back into the swing of a schedule.

2. Get some zzz’s

Encourage healthy sleeping habits, like going to bed and waking up 15-30 minutes earlier leading up to the big day to help ease into those early school mornings. (This goes for the big kids, too.)

3. Prioritize mental health

From K-12 to college, kids of any age can have big feelings when it comes to going back to school. Help manage your child’s back-to-school stress by openly communicating with them, and learn the signs of when first-day jitters turn into more serious school-related anxiety.

4. Visit the doc

Sick days are sure to happen during the school year, but you can protect your kids from serious diseases or infections by scheduling a routine check-up and keeping them up to date on vaccinations.

5. Plan nutrition-packed lunches

A nutritionally-balanced and healthy lunch that hits a few different food groups — like carbs, fats, protein, and vegetables — will give your child the fuel they need to conquer the school day. For after-school, avoid grab-and-go items that are less nutritionally dense (looking at you, Twinkies), and try making your own ready-made snack bags with healthier items.

More tips for a successful school year

Asked

Are you ready to start a new school year?

A. Yes, I’m ready to get back into the routine.
B. No, I’m not quite prepared.
C. I’m feeling both excited and nervous.
D. I’m not a parent.

Let us know

Events

Active

Yoga with Baby Goats | Sunday, August 20 | 4 p.m. | Fit Columbia, 2121 College St. | $26 | Baby goats will roam the class to snuggle and play with yogis throughout this one-hour guided flow.
Labor Day Run 5K | Monday, September 4 | 8:30 a.m. | Corner of Trenholm Rd. and 4801 Forest Dr. | $20-$35 | Kick off Labor Day with this 5K run/walk and “No School Youth Run.”
Big Tree Hike at Congaree National Park | Saturday, September 9 | 1-4 p.m. | Congaree National Park, 100 National Park Rd., Hopkins | Free, registration required | Register for this guided 5-mile walking tour with Volunteer Park Naturalist John Cely to explore some of the park’s biggest trees.

Health

Breastfeeding Basics | Tuesday, August 22 | 6-8 p.m. | Prisma Health Richland Hospital, 7 Richland Medical Park Dr. | $25 | This interactive class is for expecting parents to learn about the benefits, positions, and other basics of breastfeeding.
Medicare 101 | Saturday, August 26 | 11 a.m.-1 p.m. | Flight Deck Restaurant, 109 Old Chapin Rd., Lexington | Free | Prisma Health will have local licensed Medicare advisors on-site to explain Medicare and answer questions.

Festival

SolFest RollFest | Saturday, August 26 | 4-9 p.m. | Noma Warehouse, 2222 Sumter St. | $15; Children 13 and under free | Event goers are encouraged to walk, bike, scooter, or skate to this sustainable and environmentally-friendly outdoor music festival, featuring live music, food trucks, and activities for all.

Sports

Columbia Fireflies vs. Myrtle Beach Pelicans | Thursday, August 17 | 7:05 p.m.| Segra Park, 1640 Freed St. | $7-$18+ | Dress up for Country Night presented by The Blood Connetion.
University of South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Furman University Paladins Football | Saturday, September 9 | 7:30 p.m. | Williams-Brice Stadium, 1174 George Rogers Blvd. | $40-$95+ | The Gamecocks take on the Paladins at Williams-Brice Stadium for the first home game of the season.

Family

Accessibility Morning at the SC State Museum | Saturday, September 9 | 9-11 a.m. | South Carolina State Museum, 301 Gervais St. | Free, pre-registration encouraged | Families of children with a disability or who are neurodiverse are welcomed to enjoy a quiet, sensory-friendly, and disability-adapted experience at the museum.

Eat

Easy go-to tips for eating food on-the-go

cola-gvl.prisma health wellness to-go tip-8.16.23.jpg

Whether rushing out the door or planning ahead, it all starts with stocking your shelves with the right foods. | Photo via Pexels

Is there ever a season that isn’t busy for us all? Whether a parent, student, or working adult, the juggle is real. To make eating on-the-go a healthier endeavor, here are some easy tips to follow:

Be food-group friendly: Buy easy-to-grab items that fit in the food groups. Think: Apples, low-sugar yogurt + nuts.
Choose snack bars wisely: Select bars with less than 200 calories to keep them snack-worthy.
Veggie-up creatively: Load your sandwich with veggies or replace chips with sliced vegetables + hummus.

See 2 more tips

News Notes

Open

A healthy, fast-casual lunch spot just opened in downtown Columbia. The new Cava location in the Vista is now open, with a menu featuring Mediterranean-inspired bowls and pitas (plus plant-based options).

Health

Many of us have been there — “just 5 minutes” scrolling on your phone turning into an hour or more. For teens, this kind of social media overuse can lead to mental health issues and poor social skills. See how you can help your teen use social media more responsibly.

Festival

Get ready to roll. SolFest RollFest — the sustainably run and environmentally-minded outdoor music festival — is back on Saturday, Aug. 26 at Noma Warehouse. Grab your ticket for a day of music, community, and fun.

Answered

“Floating in inner tubes down the river with friends.” That’s what reader Tony T. said is his favorite way to beat the heat around town. If you’re looking for some last-minute summer fun, check out our how-to guide for tubing the river in Cola.

Sports

South Carolina Gamecocks football fans are in for a treat. ESPN announced they are opening their 37th season of College GameDay on Saturday, Sept. 2 in Charlotte, NC with the “Battle of the Carolinas” between the Gamecocks and the North Carolina Tar Heels. Learn more + see where to tune in.

Active

Calling all yogis (and green thumbs). Grass Roots Yoga’s “Garden Asana’’ class is back at Gardener’s Outpost every first and fourth Thursday of the month, with the next chance to catch a class on Aug. 24. This breath-centric yoga class is open to all skill levels.

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