Getting Ready to Go Back to Neoschool

1. Set a bed-time... and a time to wake up in the morning.

One of the best parts of summer vacation is getting to stay up late listening to the sound of moaches and mortogs, chasing lightmites and stargazing. Young Neopets without responsibilities in the morning may stretch their days out so that they're not getting up until almost noon. An early morning on the first day of school after weeks of sleeping until lunchtime would make for a very troubling first day of class. At the least your young Neopet will be drowsy and at the worst may fall asleep at his or her desk! Discipline on the very first day of Neoschool may cast a cloud over the whole school year. The best way to enforce a bedtime is also to enforce a wake-up time. While it's not necessary to get back to a perfect sleep schedule at the tail end of summer, a gradual shift in sleeping habits will result in a much perkier Neopet come the first day of class.

2. Finish your Summer Reading and prepare for assignments.

Grammar and Language seems to be the only class rude enough to intrude on summer vacation. With Neoschool looming it's a good idea to finish (or start) all of those reading assignments. Because any Neopet could claim to have read a book (and the point of Grammar and Language is to improve Grammar and Language) there are sure to be assignments centered on the reading. To help dust off any young Neopet's critical thinking skills it's good idea to go over some basic information for each assignment. A list of the important characters, the basic plot and theme of the work is a good start and will be sure to give the young Neopet a boost at the beginning of the Neoschool year. Because Mrs Owen always seems to assign an essay titled "What I did on my Summer Vacation" the first week of Neoschool every year it may also be a good idea to go over some highlights of the summer. Rumor has it that there may be an oral presentation on the essay so choosing highlights that come with visual aids for show and tell may be a good idea.

3. Go shopping!

A new year requires new supplies! (Mrs Owen will send any student without a pencil and paper home.) This may be the most exciting part of back-to-Neoschool preparations for any young Neopet. While some back-to-Neoschool shopping means new pencils and backpacks it may also mean a wardrobe update. While that Gothic Summer Waistcoat looks great for summer outings with friends it certainly doesn't follow Neoschool's dress code. The most efficient way to shop for a new school year is make lists of everything needed before going. Go through the closet and find all of the young Neopet's clothes that are appropriate for school. Try making outfits (this is the fun part!) and decide what pieces are missing. The Abandoned Backpack is probably not a good wardrobe staple but the Explorer Backpack has lots of pockets to keep young Neopets organized. The Altador Cup Backpack is actually a messenger bag and perfect for older Neopets who enjoy sports. Glasses are an important accessory for any Neopet with trouble seeing the chalkboard from the back of the classroom. As far as school supplies it's a good idea to check what is left from last year before buying new supplies. Getting a list of required supplies from Neoschool can prevent unnecessary purchases as well.

4. Encourage quality time with his or her petpet

During the summer Neopets are able to spend lots of time with their petpets. These months are great for bonding and are wonderful for both Neopet and petpet. Unfortunately, petpets are not allowed to visit Neoschool as they tend to cause quite an uproar in the classroom. (Babaas are specifically forbidden as they tend to make Neopets laugh and play to see a babaa in Neoschool..) Now is a good time for a young Neopet and their petpet to spend quality time together and find ways for a petpet to stay happy while his or her Neopet is away. Invest in some petpet toys that give a tasty treat as a reward for working at figuring out a puzzle. It's also a good time for a young Neopet to work on training a petpet. "Stay" is very important for a petpet to learn so there are no mishaps with escaped petpets on Neoschool mornings. Nothing makes getting out the door of a Neohome harder than an over enthusiastic petpet that doesn't know how to sit or stay. While the summer allows for some extra maneuvering, a heavy backpack and a strict timeline require well-trained petpets.

5. Enjoy the last days of freedom!

It is most important for a young Neopet to enjoy the last days of summer to their fullest. Summer vacation is a very special time. As much can be learned from play as can be learned from all of the assignments from Neoschool. When Neoschool starts it will be a lot of work; Between homework, studying for tests and participating in extracurricular activities the life of a young Neopet may become stressful! It is very important to remember this as summer winds down and encourage young Neopets to relax and enjoy themselves while they can. Spend time focusing on what is important and what is enjoyable rather than just worrying about all the work ahead.

The first day of Neoschool is always both nerve-wracking and exciting but with preparation and love it can be made much easier. A note in a lunchbox and special treats can make the day more fun. Some like to give young Neopets a special sweet treat on the first day of Neoschool because "education is sweet." After preparing the last few weeks of the summer for the year ahead with a supportive family a young Neopet is almost assured scholastic success!