It’s that time of year again for students all across the country to find a way to transition from winter break laziness and get back into the school mode.  Time to get back to the daily grind of studying, stressing out and of course all-nighters.

After all the days of sleeping in til noon, shopping for crazy deals and celebrating the holidays, it is time to get back on track, and focus on why we are all at CSUN to begin with: to get an education.

So here are a few tips that may help all of us get back into school mode, at the very least remind us that it’s time to get our butts into gear.

School supplies: The idea of shopping for school supplies may seem elementary, but in reality having the right supplies can help any college students stay organized.  Something we all know is one of the keys to success. And don’t forget to stock up on highlighters for all necessary note-taking. Perhaps the best places to buy these supplies at low prices is Wal-Mart and Target.

Buying text books can easily become the bane of any student’s existence, but by buying textbooks online or even renting them, the experience can become less painful. As soon as textbooks are purchased and syllabi from professors is acquired, try getting ahead by skimming through the chapters to get a gist of what this semester holds.

Limit the partying: Many of us probably celebrated after finals by letting loose at the bars or clubs. Now that the semester has started there should be a few limits on the drinking and overall partying. Everyone loves to have a little fun once in awhile but when trying to focus on school work there should be a balance between the two.

I am not saying to stay home and devote every waking moment to studying. Go out have a drink, if you’re old enough, and have fun. But at all costs try to avoid coming to class hung over. Being nauseous in a two hour class does not sit well with any person.

Get a full night’s sleep: Most of us probably stayed up late during winter break watching movies, late-night talk shows or even partying it up in Hollywood. Rearranging our schedules to ensure that we don’t have to rely on an unhealthy amount of coffee to stay awake in class is highly beneficial for everyone. Not only are we staying awake in our classes but we can get on any professor’s good side by arriving on time.

Waking up early also solves most parking problems. For the first couple weeks we should all be prepared to face chaotic traffic conditions, especially in the parking structures. For those of us who refuse to pay for parking on a daily basis, or a parking permet, free parking around campus is always an option, however, the only bad thing about is limited availability.

All-nighters: After all that sleeping in during winter break, its back to those all-nighters dedicated to reading and studying. As I mentioned before about rearranging your sleeping patterns and going to sleep early, all-nighters are the exception. Like any other college student who procrastinates on term papers or class assignments that is what all-nighters are for. Gather all books, study guides, laptops and get to work. Caffeine or energy drinks are a must if all-nighters become a regularly scheduled habit.

Get yourself in school mode by getting pumped up about this semester. Motivate yourself and try not to be negative. Have fun but remember that you want to pass this semester so you don’t have to keep paying high tuition for another year.