With many schools re-opening their doors, students are gearing up for the upcoming school year. Though it can be quite exciting looking forward to a new school year, it can also be a little overwhelming when it comes to getting everything organized and scheduled. But getting organized is one of the most important things. It helps to get everything done on time and saves us time and energy. That way your academic result will improve and you will also be efficient in your work. 

Here are some useful hacks to help you sail through the school year like a boss!

• Use a mirror as a whiteboard: We often buy whiteboards to make some quick sketches and mind-maps, but often don't realize that our mirror doubles up to be a whiteboard itself! I'm sure most of us spend quite a few minutes in front of the mirror everyday, so it would be extremely helpful to leave some reminders, inspirational quotes, daily affirmations etc. on your mirror.
• Review your notes at the everyday. This helps to prevent your work from piling up and also if there is enough time left, it helps to you review new material before its being taught in the class.
• Maintain a calendar : This is extremely helpful, especially when you have a big test coming up. It ensures that you are on top of all your course work and do not miss important tests, quizzes, assignments , events and exams.
• Maintain a consistent schedule : Make sure to study at the same time everyday until it becomes a habit. While studying make sure to take regular breaks , do not over-work yourself.
• Instead of simply reading out your study material, speak it out loud. This way, you will be able to retain way more information.
• Teach the material to someone else, this is scientifically proven to imrove your retention power and you will also be able to recall the material and will also learn it well.
• Practice good posture. While studying sit up straight, pull your shoulders back and your chin up. This helps you to make your learning process much more efficient and will ultimately help you to perform better.
• Certain scents are known to boost your productivity. Use a few drops of peppermint essential oil and take a whiff or try drinking some peppermint tea.
• Learn academic materials in a fun way by using Quizlet. This is a great app that helps you make online flashcards for free. You can review these flashcards whenever you feel like you want to touch up on the study material.
• If you're one to get easily distracted by your phone when studying, consider putting it away in another room. You are less likely to go all the way to another room to use the phone.
• If you enjoy having music playing in the background, play some good classical music. Playing music with lyrics will distract you.
• Using scholar.google.com to search for informaton is a great way to get more relevant information easily.
• Do not skip classes. This step is key to learning.
• In order to avoid the shock of new information, prepare for the class the night before. Simply looking at the topics and reading them will be sufficient.
• Try doing all your assignments yourself. I know its easier and faster to copy it off of your friend's, but doing it yourself helps you retain more information and helps you ultimately ace that test!
• Try not to take insults or mean remarks personally. They’re either trying to bring you down and having fun or if they are deliberately being mean, just ignore them. People will always try to find a way to bring you down no matter how good of a person you are. Don't let them bring you down.
• Any important papers such as assignments,hand outs, essays, researches, etc. should automatically go into a folder, so that you won’t lose or forget it.
• Don't forget, your supervisors and lecturers are very intelligent. When you submit essays and quizzes, you need to be as intelligent as them. Look for the papers/books that your supervisors/lecturers have already published and study their writing style well. Model their writing style. This way it will be much easier to get marks since your thesis will be better accepted by them.
• Work hard towards building a strong resume, work on skills you'd like your resume to feature. 
• Make your own notes, this will help you actually speed up your learning process during the final exam. 
• Apply for internships. Not only does it add weight to your resume, it also helps you to know how the ‘real world’ works. 
• Pick up productive hobbies and get better at them, you could even turn them into your full-time career.