After what only feels like a week off, the majority of University and College students are returning back to campus early January. Since it’s almost been a month since we’ve been in the “study” mode, I’ve come up with 5 tips to help you get back into school vibes for the winter semester.

1. Become Friends with your Alarm

The opposite of this gif. What I mean is try setting your alarm an hour early every night, therefore, your body can slowly adjust to waking up normally for school. Ex: If you’re currently waking up at 10 am during the break, try to set an alarm for 9 am and then 8 am and finally 7 am (or whatever time you need to be waking up at).

2. Do EVERYTHING you can NOW

This is KEY. Do EVERYTHING you can possibly do before school starts. This means send all those emails you said you were going to! Apply to those jobs. Clean your room. Get your school stuff ready for the new semester. See your friends. Spend time with your family. Organize your calendar with the deadlines you’ll have. And most importantly buy & prep the snacks you’ll need to survive the first week.

3. Save Money on Textbooks

Start researching, comparing and posting on those textbook sites. Yeah, it seems tedious, but you have time now. Do the necessary research. It could lead to you saving $50. We all know that we could use an extra $50.

4. Sleep & Eat (the proper amounts)

You’re on winter break right now. Stop staying up past midnight. There’s literally no reason for you to be doing so. During the semester you sort’ve do. But appreciate sleep while you can. Turn off your phone and just go to sleep. You gotta recharge your body after a semester of surviving off 4 hours of sleep.

EAT. Appreciate a home cooked meal. Enjoy the TIME you have to actually cook a meal that doesn’t involve Kraft Dinner and takes more than 5 minutes to make. Fuel your body for the semester you have ahead. As much as you’ll try to eat healthy this semester you know those late night study sessions are going involve something from a vending machine. Treat your body right while you can.

5. Plan Ahead

Plan out your semester. If you know when you’re going to have a crazy week of midterms, assignments and projects make sure to block off the weekend before everything’s due. If you have concerts, sports games, birthday parties etc during the semester make sure nothing overlaps or that you’re not working that day. Calendars are amazing things.

Just think, there’s only 8 more weeks until reading week!