Now that we have been thrust back into a cycle of sleep deprivation and procrastination, it’s almost impossible not to groan when a commercial comes on advertising sparkly pencil cases and backpacks with cartoon characters on them. Here are some ways to stay somewhat sane now that our alarm clocks are set to such ungodly hours.

1. Make a List

Have a lot to do? Write down all the things you need to buy or have to do along with the days that those things should get done. Make a calendar and cross off the days. Be very aware of the time that you have to complete those tasks, and plan in advance to get them done. Besides keeping you organized, list-making turns the frantic jumble of uncompleted assignments and tasks in your head into a tangible schedule and is a first step towards getting things done. Crossing things off that list will feel make you feel productive and ready to get the next thing done!

2. Plan to Procrastinate

Now, that list looks very pretty and you’re eager to get started, but 5 minutes into the first homework assignment, Tumblr somehow opened up on your browser. Suddenly 3 hours have gone by, and there are no words on that paper. Pencil some procrastination time (10 or 20 minutes) into your schedule, and give yourself some time to grab a cup of coffee and maybe watch some cat-related YouTube videos. Always be sure to get back on track when it’s over, though!

3. Prioritize

Let’s be honest: most of the time we plan to do our homework, and then take the entire night to actually get started. It’s vital to give yourself a reality check every once in a while. Catching up on Desperate Housewives isn’t contributing anything to you emotionally, intellectually, or otherwise, but that project could be the difference between you getting a B or a D in one of your classes. Take a step back and ask yourself: “What should I REALLY be doing right now?”

4. Read a Book – For Fun

When was the last time you read a book, not because your English teacher force-fed it to you, but because you thought it looked interesting? Never. Exactly. There’s just no time for that. As our beloved Mr. Walpole always advises, “real readers read for pleasure.” It feels nice to jump into a world with something to offer besides an endless parade of homework assignments and projects, or as Mr. Walpole calls it, “dental work.” Besides, it can’t hurt your SAT prepping.

5. Have a “School Space”

Have an area in your room or home office completely dedicated to school things – a place for textbooks, extra school supplies, and your backpack, as well as a well-lit space to do homework and study in.  It’s easier to relax with that book when you don’t have Lord of the Flies right beside you as a reminder of all the work you have to do. Likewise, it’s easier to concentrate on homework when you don’t have the boxes of your favorite movies sitting next to your history notes. Separate work and play, and it’ll be easier to transition between the two.

6. Expect the Worst

“Everything that can go wrong will go wrong.” If you get yourself into the habit of backing everything up on your jump drive or external hard drive, it won’t be Armageddon when your computer crashes. If you print out two copies of that report, you won’t want to throw yourself under a bus when one of them gets lost or eaten by the dog. The point here is: always have a back-up plan. Your printer will run out of ink, your alarm won’t go off, and you will forget to Dress for Success on the day of Capstone, but if you plan ahead, the blow won’t strike you as hard.  

7. Go to Sleep

At the end of the day, what a high school student needs more than anything is a good night’s sleep. If it’s rounding on 1 o’ clock in the morning, and you’re still slaving away over a hot laptop, it might be time to turn in. You can always wake up early and finish an assignment in the Media Center, and it’ll probably come out better anyway now that you’ve given your brain a chance to recuperate.

During the school year, it is more important than ever to remember to just take a deep breath and relax. If you start to feel a little bit overwhelmed, or like you’re caught in a cycle of “school, homework, sleep, repeat,” just remember that sometimes it’s worth it to take a break.