The Ultimate Back-to-School Checklist for Middle & High Schoolers

7 simple things to follow:)

Every July, something magical happens. Not unicorn magical – more like “Target aisles smell like new notebooks” magical. Back-to-school season.

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And whether your kid is a 7th grader with a Harry Potter pencil case or a 10th grader who rolls their eyes at everything (including oxygen), we all know one truth:

School hits different now.

Gone are the days of two pencils and a tiffin. Today’s students need gear, gadgets, Google Docs access, and possibly a LinkedIn account by age 14.

So here it is, fellow parents, overwhelmed teens, and sneaky procrastinators:

1. Mindset > Materials

Before we dive into backpacks and blue pens, let’s talk mindset.

“I’m just going to vibe through 9th grade.” —My son, last year.

He did not vibe. He face-planted in algebra.

Photo by Kenny Eliason on

Start the year with this mantra:

“New Year = New Habits = New Me (with…