July 28, 2025

Back to School Prep Guide

As the new academic year approaches, it’s the perfect time for student media teams to reset, refresh, and gear up for a successful semester. Whether you’re an advisor getting organized or a student looking for new leadership ideas, this checklist will help you get your studio, office, and team ready.

The first step is to register for the 2025 National Student Media Convention in Denver!

They call it Executive Functioning Skills, we call it Best Practices. Either way, check out these ideas to get ahead of 25/26.

For Advisors

Schedule a Team Kickoff Meeting
Inventory & Maintenance Check
Update Staff Handbook & Policies
Set Content Goals for the Semester
Plan Guest Speakers & Workshops
Build a Recruitment Plan
Schedule Regular Advisor-Leadership Check-Ins

For Students

Tour the Studio/Office
Update Your Bio & Headshot for Team Website/Social
Create a Personal Content Pitch List
Review Media Law & Ethics Basics
Practice a “First-Day On-Air Rehearsal”
Engage on Social Media (follow your station or newspaper, share their posts)
Attend Team Social Events

Decluttering Last Year’s Stuff (Advisor & Team To-Do)

Archive Old Content
Purge Outdated Files
Recycle/Donate Old Print Materials
Clear Out Personal Items Left Behind
Tidy Up Shared Spaces
Reset Bulletin Boards & Whiteboards (before the semester starts)
Review Equipment Logs & Sign-Out Sheets

Team Activities to Jumpstart Engagement

60-Minute Production Challenge
“State of Media” Roundtable Discussion
Studio Clean-Up & Redesign Day
Monthly “Wins Wall” Contribution
Peer Skills-Sharing Sessions (editing tips, camera tricks, etc.)

YOUR TURN: Have some ideas for the start of the semester you would like to share? Hit us up on X, BlueSky, IG, or Facebook.