1. Go grocery shopping before the first day. Trust me. Without food, you will fail. Make sure it is food you actually have time to pack. Make sure you buy food you are willing to cook after work too. Also, buy a couple of snacks that you know will make you happy. Cough, cough Dove Dark Chocolate.
2. Go the fuck to sleep. Yeah, you heard me. Don't stay up late. Just because you got all cool and nocturnal all summer playing internet role playing games, does not mean you can handle the daytime filled with wild, wiggly sixth graders. Seriously. Nine o'clock. Shut up and go to sleep.
3. Calm down crazy pants. Take two time outs during the day. Even if that means you have to hide in the bathroom. (That's my personal hiding place. Stall number one on the left.) You have to regroup. Count to ten. Breathe in. Breathe out. Shhhhh. Let the mind slow down and relax.
4. Remember that every single person you encounter is coming from some sort of situation. They may have gotten wrongly accused of something last period, forgot their lunch, tripped over a chair, pushed in the locker room, broken up with, or possibly broke their glasses. If they are a jerk, don't react. Move on, let them figure out their life. Try to understand where they are coming from before you lose your cool.
5. Never let them see you cry. Wait until you get home.
6. Have a dance party. If you have to, have it with the whole class. It's cool. Sometimes you gotta shake it off.
7. Do something nice every hour. Smile at someone, notice their outfit, compliment their hair, encourage good behavior. Nice is infectious. It will make you feel better.
8. Keep a list of things you need to do today. Having things floating around in your head will make you crazy. Every day make a new list and throw the old one away. Index cards work great.
9. Keep a journal of the good things that happen each day. Those are the things you need to remember.
10. Take a walk. Don't get all stuck in your couch. I swear you will turn into a zombie and bite someone's face. Your body could use some extra endorphins. After that many hits on your sanity, you need a little pick me up. Oh, and get ready to do it all over again.
