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There’s nothing like those last few weeks of the summer. Your nerves and excitement begin to settle in as you anticipate the upcoming school year. A new year is full of possibilities: opportunities to try new things (ahem, fall fashion), set new goals for yourself, and maybe develop a new crush or two.

But sometimes it’s hard to motivate yourself to get excited for the first day of school. Especially if you were more or less remote for the last year and a half and adjusting to a new style of learning, returning to school in person this fall might feel intimidating or weird.

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We get it. But if you’re going back to school eventually, you might as well get hyped up for it! Below are some tips that will help you get into a healthy and excited mindset to start school (you got this).

Get Your Supplies Early

Not only does it feel great to know you’re organized, but the earlier you purchase your supplies, the greater selection you’ll have. There’s nothing worse than rolling up to the store a few nights before school starts, only to find yourself staring at pillaged shelves filled with the leftover supplies that no one wanted.

Your notebooks, agendas, pencil pouch, and more are all an extension of your personal style–so have fun with them! To ensure that you’re getting all of the school supplies you need to thrive this year, plan to get your things one month to two weeks before the start of your first class.

Let the Fun Events Motivate You

We won’t sugarcoat it; school can be really not fun sometimes. Homework bogs you down, long nights in the library can tire you out, and some classes just seem downright impossible sometimes (it’s a miracle that I passed physics).

A great way to combat this potential stress is to think about all the fun events that high school has to offer–and autumn is full of them. Homecoming, spirit week, and football games on those crisp nights are instant serotonin boosters. Plus, these are all just more opportunities to show off your style with the latest fall fashion trends.

Join a New Club

Whether it’s your first year or your last, it’s always a perfect time to join a club. This is your chance to venture out and try something that you’ve never done before, or finally join that club that you’ve been curious about. 

Joining a new club is a great way to get you hyped up to go back to school. They’re meant to be a fun distraction from all of the hard work that school throws at you, and give you an opportunity to meet new people that share the same interests as you. And who knows? Maybe an innocent Student Council signup will inspire you to become the next President of the United States (hey, it could happen).

Nail Down Your Personal Style

A new school year is practically a debut. It’s an excellent opportunity to show off your evolving style and give another first impression. Plus, when you look good you feel good. There’s nothing that will get you hyped up for school more than feeling put together and confident on that first day back. 

If you’re a freshman or transferring from another school, that first impression is all the more important. Honing in on your personal style is imperative, and can be super fun and creative way to express yourself.

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Start by shopping for your outfit staples, like jeans, tees, and cozy sweaters. Then, move on to statement pieces, like sparkly tops, animal print fall booties, and vegan leather jackets. Complete your style with accessories like bold earrings, printed scarves, and wide brim hats. 

Plan a Back-to-School Slumber Party

Gather all of your friends and plan the sleepover party of the year. Planning a fun event shortly after school starts will give you something to look forward to while sitting through those long classes.

Make sure it’s complete with cute pajamas, fun slumber party games, junk food (evidently, popcorn is great brain food), and plenty of catching up on the latest. A new school year brings a lot of changes and you’ll definitely need a space to recap–what better way to do that than when watching Mean Girls and eating pizza with your best friends?

How are you prepping to go back to school? Tell us in the comments and show us your back-to-school outfits on Instagram @lulus using #lovelulus! For more seasonal styles, head to our Fall Fashion shop!

This post was originally published in 2018 and has been updated with new content.