Can you believe that back-to-school time is already here? As a recent college graduate, this is the first August in 19 years that I will not be getting ready for classes to start again. It’s definitely a bittersweet feeling! However, with 2 years of preschool, K-12, and 4 years of college behind me, I have fresh memories of the things that helped get both my parents and I through those 19 years of school. 

As we all know, kids change quickly and drastically throughout their years in school. This is the time of life where we grow, adapt, and are influenced the most. This means that back-to-school “life hacks” cannot be a one-size-fits-all. I’ve taken the time to consider moments in each stage of school that had a positive impact on my growth to share with you today.

Please note: every kid and every parenting style is different, and that should be celebrated! In this blog, I mention choices made by my parents that had personal benefit in my life. These are simply things that worked for my family and do not constitute parenting advice!

Preschool/Kindergarten

The first few years of going to school as a kid are definitely both nerve-wracking and exciting at the same time for parents and kids alike. For many, it’s the first time a kid will find themself in a large group of kids their own age for hours at a time, all learning the same things and figuring out how to socialize. 

There’s a magic in picking out your first backpack and lunchbox as a kid. It enters you into a new era of life while simultaneously giving you one of your first opportunities to showcase your personality and interests to your peers. Going into Kindergarten, I picked out a My Little Pony backpack that ended up giving me a lifelong friend. The morning of my first day, I sat next to a girl named Julia on the bus. Little did I know that she loved My Little Pony, too, and that we would bond over this (and eventually many, many other things) and create the longest and one of the strongest friendships I have ever had. We continued to sit next to each other on the bus every single day until we graduated middle school and ended up going to different high schools. To this day, we still stay in touch as often as possible.

The Life Hack:

Parents/guardians: consider letting your kid pick out their own backpack/lunchbox. It could give them a friend for life!

Elementary School

I like to think of the elementary school age as “peak childhood”, as it’s the perfect age to discover your personal interests and hobbies without too much pressure. The world is your oyster!

Throughout childhood, I joined countless extracurricular activities such as dance classes, band, choir, art club, theater, gymnastics, figure skating, lacrosse, and much more. I even tried out an Irish dancing intramural! Even though I didn’t stick with most of these activities for long, it was a great experience to get to play around with different hobbies to find which ones I would develop a genuine interest in. Through this experimenting, I discovered my passion for music. I continued to play the flute in band until the end of high school and continued singing in the choir until the end of middle school. If you never try, how will you know?

The Life Hack:

Try a bunch of extracurriculars to discover your passions and interests!

Middle School

Even though trends have always been around, we now live in a digital age where social media exaggerates and accelerates these trends. In middle school, as many kids begin using social media themselves, the things that are trending become much more relevant. At such a pivotal age of development and self-discovery, trends can highly influence middle schoolers to build who they are or what their interests are based on what is trending.

When I started middle school, I loved Taylor Swift. I even chose her for an assignment in 5th grade where we had to create a historical or celebrity role model out of a 2-liter bottle. After about a year into middle school, it became “uncool” to like Taylor Swift. I felt like I had to change my opinions based on what other people thought, and I did. I stopped listening to her music and truly let myself believe that I didn’t like her as an artist. It wasn’t until I started college that I gave her music another try, and immediately wished I could go back in time and tell my middle school self to block out anyone who says that it’s “not cool” to like certain things, act in a certain way, dress in a certain way, etc. I fell back into love with Taylor Swift’s music and had to play catch-up with the 4 albums that she released during the time I let society convince me that I wasn’t a fan. I don’t blame myself, since I was just a kid, but I do hope that as the next generation arises, society gives them the space to stay true to themselves. I hope that they don’t listen to the people who refuse to give them that space.

The Life Hack:

Don’t let what’s “trending” dictate your own lifestyle or interests. Be unapologetically yourself as you discover who you are.

High School

When you’re in high school, it’s natural (and important) to start building your independence. However, learning to find a balance between being independent and knowing when to ask for help is crucial.

High school can be overwhelming. It’s a time where there are a lot of different things to balance, including (but not limited to) your school work, social life, part-time jobs, extracurriculars, family time, and preparing for the future. It’s a lot for anyone, let alone a growing teenager. There were plenty of times in high school where I put too much pressure on myself to balance all of these things perfectly and without any help. I would refuse when people would offer their support in getting me through hard situations for the sake of either “not being a burden” or maintaining my own independence. To be completely transparent, this is something I still struggle with but continue to work on every day. If I had accepted more support, it would have saved me from a lot of stress and anxiety.

The Life Hack:

Independence doesn’t mean you have to handle everything yourself. It’s okay to ask your support system for help in times of need!

College

Going to college is a hard life transition. It’s the first time in your life where you have a sense of true independence, which definitely comes with its pros and cons. Even if you’re a social person, it’s incredibly intimidating to think of making all new friends when you start college. 

I started college in the fall of 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. This, along with personal health issues, made socialization an even more difficult task. Somewhere along the way, I received the advice to join three RSOs (Registered Student Organizations): one that aligns with your major, one that promotes professional development, and one that aligns with a personal hobby or interest. This prompted me to join the American Marketing Association and the ISU Photography Club. Although I only joined these two RSOs instead of the recommended three, they both met the three criteria that the advice offers. American Marketing Association both aligned with my major and promoted professional development, while Photography Club gave me an opportunity to explore my interest in photography while meeting others who share this hobby. I met many of my closest friends in college by joining these RSOs; my only regret is not joining them sooner.

The Life Hack:

Get involved on campus! Join one extracurricular that aligns with your major, one that promotes professional development, and one that aligns with a personal hobby or interest. (Or, find one or two that aligns with all three.)

About the author: Lauryn Raff is a Marketing Assistant at Lifelong Access. She is also a recent graduate from Illinois State University with a bachelor’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications. Her passion lies in all forms of creative expression, and she is always looking for innovative ways to create positive change.   

The views expressed are Lauryn's and do not necessarily represent the official views of Lifelong Access.