The back-to-school grown-up checklist

Some of the adult shit you need to get done before school starts

So the five-month student holiday is coming to a close.  In only a short week, the time you once had for day-long hangovers, paralyzing sunburns and summer barbecue food comas will be over.

School takes up a lot of time.  September always turns way too quickly into midterms, and soon you will be reminded that the adult-life-things you meant to do over the summer never got done.  So now’s the time!

The week before classes start is the perfect time to get appointments out of the way.  Do you have a teeth cleaning that is way overdue?  Or maybe you meant to set up a meeting with your academic advisor this summer?  Book these things now! If you have phone phobia, a lot of appointments can now be made online.  If that’s not an option, then suck it up, real adults speak on the phone.

Once your appointments are cleared, get more paperwork-administration-type-stuff checked off your list.  Bills, address changes, unanswered emails…these things can be huge sources of stress.

Start by paying as much of your credit card as you possibly can.  I know it’s scary, but check your finances online, make sure you are in the clear and find out if you have the best credit card to suit your needs.  In September, school expenses can go through the roof, so it’s best to start the month with the least amount of money stress possible.

Next, clear your inbox.  Answer any emails you missed over the summer, unsubscribe to any newsletter you are really sick of seeing and delete, delete, delete!  Chances are, you will be using your email a lot during the school year, so why not have it nice and neat for the start of classes.

Ah, the joy of paying bills!  If you are still receiving bills, perhaps consider making the switch to online billing.  This eliminates the possibility of losing anything.  For certain bills like Internet, hydro and the many subscriptions you may have, there is often the option to sign up for automatic payments.  This is when the company automatically charges the amount due to your credit card each month.  While this option is extremely practical, make sure you check the amount each month to assure it makes sense.

Did you move this summer? Address changes don’t have to be a pain. Visit Service Canada’s website or La Régie de l’Assurance Maladie’s website to get a full checklist of steps you need to follow to complete your address change.  The checklists come with links that go directly to the page you need to make the switch!  It’s as simple as that.  Another option is to visit Canada Post’s website or brave a trip to your local Post Office.

After getting all or some of this shit done, you should feel one step closer to being a grown-up and perhaps half a step closer to being in the right mindset for lectures and assignments.

Cheers fellow capable adults! I give you all a warm welcome back to school.

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