Another day, another semester where it seems that everything is just a drag. Yes, I’m excited to be back on campus with all my friends and my sisters, but getting back in the groove with classes and homework just feels impossible for me. It feels like I can’t get it together until the middle of the semester. For me, this semester goes by so quickly. It feels as if the semester doesn’t even have a middle – just a beginning and end. So, every time I look up, it’s almost time for finals, and I’m making all of these last minute moves to make sure I come out alive maintaining my A’s and B’s while avoiding those dreaded C’s.

Sometimes, I think some people are cursed with some kind of lazy holiday spirit. That same spirit lingers for about a week or, in my case, 10 weeks. It’s a miracle that I still get everything done in time and manage to keep my grades steady. But, my goodness, it would be a whole lot easier if I would just get back in the swing of things the day that I returned to campus. However, I have picked up a few tips that are helping me get back into the school year schedule.

One way to help manage time is buying a planner. There is no way on earth that I would be able to make it through the semester if there wasn’t any structure in my day to day life. I like to plan out my whole semester in my planner so I can know what’s ahead of me.

Another key tip is definitely managing time wisely. Time management skills are something that must be practiced on a daily basis. During winter break, I had a lot of time on my hands. There was never a purpose for me to manage my time for anything other than work and visiting home. Coming back to school, I have regular classes, an on-campus job and am part of a sorority, so I have to wake up with a mindset saying “this is how I’m going to get through the day.” The next time I look up, it’s almost midnight. Then I rest and do it all over again.

Speaking of rest, getting at least seven hours of sleep is essential for getting back on track when starting the semester. I know the recommended amount is eight hours. But seriously, as a college student, who’s getting eight hours of sleep? A good amount of sleep every night can have you waking up ready to start the day and getting work done on time. Getting enough sleep can help you avoid that trap of the 20 minute nap that actually turns out to be two hours instead. We’ve all fallen victim to it at least once.

Honestly, the beginning of the semester is the time to get yourself together. I know we all have those teachers who expect you to have each textbook and 50 pages read before the first day, but realistically, January and the beginning of February is the time to gather yourself so you can rock out the semester. Also, an honest tip: don’t wait until the middle or end of the semester to “get back on track” because that’s just an automatic disqualification of straight A’s. Start now while you’re ahead!