With the pandemic still looming over the country, going back to school is going to be a bit unconventional. Instead of lugging your new backpack through the halls, you will be getting out of bed and going straight to your laptop (honestly, no one’s going to be changing out of their pajamas). You might be thinking about the supplies you’ll need, such as headphones, a new laptop, and the basics: pens, pencils, and paper. But those things aren’t really that important. Here are five things that are actually essential when starting off the school year. 

A Barrel of Snacks

With school in your house, teachers don’t have much authority over the snacking rules. Take advantage of that, and hoard all the snacks you can in your room. You could even make a mini pantry to store all that food. Unlike in-person school, where you have to ration your snacks because there’s only so much you can take from home, virtual school lets you have all the snacks you want and you’ll never starve. 

Making Your Bed

You’re probably lazy and don’t make your bed every morning. Why would you? It’s your room, and no one’s going to see it. However, with online school, your bed may be on display through your camera. You don’t want other people seeing your unmade bed, though their beds may be unmade too. You could solve this problem by shifting your camera angle, but that can be uncomfortable sometimes. It’s so much easier to just make your bed instead (the true wish of every parent in the world).

Acting Classes

What if the teacher calls on you to answer a question, but you don’t want to answer it? Acting classes would greatly benefit you in situations like this. Learn how to freeze convincingly, so they think your screen is frozen, and call on someone else. Make sure no one’s in the background, though, because that might blow your cover. TikTok is a great source for learning this specific skill. 

An Alarm Every Five Minutes

Home is a place where you can mostly relax and cry over homework. Having school there, too, makes it really hard to stay motivated and alert. Set an alarm every five minutes to solve that problem. Constantly hearing the blare of your alarm is bound to keep you awake, alert, and very annoyed, which is what school aims to do anyway. 

A Favorite Thing of Yours

With everything going on, life can be stressful sometimes. Put your favorite item on your desk during school, whether it be a stuffed animal, a special pen, or a gift from a loved one, to remind you that everything will be okay.