Ah yes, do you hear that? It's the sound of college students across the country collectively sighing as the school year is about to begin. And you know what that means. Trying not to stay up all night writing papers, studying for 3 tests in one week and preparing presentations on things you have not a clue about. But it's okay, because you promised yourself that this year you’re for sure going to change your ways. Get yourself together, be the most organized you possibly can, get a job and still have time for a social life! Okay, so that sounds incredibly stressful already and it didn’t even happen yet. Lets not get ahead of ourselves here. If you’re like me, you may start out your semester having millions of thoughts on how you want your school year to pan out perfectly and then halfway through it might not follow as planned. This year though, lets all agree that we can make ourselves buckle down with schoolwork, make that money, be organized and have fun! Here are some tips on how to get yourself to a place wishing you hadn’t gone out that night as you're crying at 2 in the morning finishing a 5 page paper due that day :)

1.) Get a planner

My planner is actually my life. This is legit the most simple tip there is. It’s really self explanatory in the sense that this little book plans your life out. I always think to myself "Do i really need this planner, will it actually help me?" but really, it does help beyond belief. If you don't write things down, its harder for you to remember! When your teacher tells you weeks in advance that you have a 10 page paper due, write it down every few days to remind yourself so your not scramming the day before. Also get a planner that is pretty and fun to write in. I feel that whenever I have a really cute planner that I like, it makes me want to write in it even more.

2.) Meet a class buddy

Remember in middle school when you had that friend who would put together all of your homework and books that you missed that day if you were sick? Go back to that! In the beginning of the semester, find a friend that you may know, or make a friend that you feel comfortable exchanging numbers with in case you're out and need to know what you missed. Not only will that hook you up with missed work, but it could also start a new friendship!

3.) Find a job at your school

If you're looking for a job and you’re coming up short, chances are your school has work study programs or student worker positions available. Working with one of the offices within your school can really help you with scoring a job, especially if it's your freshman year! Another perk is that while you’re working, you get to make tons of other friends who also go to your school that you get to see all the time. Some of the best friends I made in college work with me in my schools admission office. Also you have the perfect excuse to buy as much school mercy as you want because “you have to wear it to work” ;)

4.) Take classes the YOU want to take

Classes can get stressful, especially if they have crazy assignments given throughout the semester. If you sign up for a class, get in there and see that you don’t think its a right fit for you, don’t take it. It's as simple as that. If you’re not excited about the content and then put yourself through the torture of going through with the class, it's going to be a long 4 months. Another reason is don't take a class you don't like as they're expensive and you don't want to be spending money on something you don’t want to learn. If you do find a class that does get your attention but is out of your comfort zone, you should still try it. Its better to have tried then not at all (So cliche I know)

5.) Be in contact with your professors

This may seem scary at first. This is the person who is holding the fate of your semester grade in their pen. But that should be the reason why you want to be able to talk to them! When you're having a hard time with an assignment or got a bad test grade, don’t be afraid to email them or even meet with them outside of class for help. I know from experience that working with my teacher after a bad grade, not only was it helpful to discuss what was going wrong but it also made the teacher happy that I took the initiative to work harder and make my work better. They’ll see that you want to learn and want to fix your mistakes. Plus, having a good relationship with a professor can help you out in situations such as recommendation letters and job searching after college!

6.) Find an extracurricular activity

Whether its within your school or through an internship, get out of your school work once in a while and get immersed in something that you’re passionate about. Many colleges have tons of clubs that meet after classes that may peak your interest. And if your school doesn’t have a club that interests you, grab some of your friends and create your own club, many schools offer the option to create your own club if you gather enough people. Even getting an internship can not only help you get away for a bit, but let you have fun with maybe your future career path.

7.) Go to sleep at a normal hour

I don’t even know what a normal hour of sleep is anymore so this is the tip that I'm really trying to take myself this semester. Having a jam packed schedule every single week for 4 months is a lot to handle. At some point you're gonna run out of gas and the car is going to break down. So really, go park your car in the garage and sleep. It’s important for us to get all of our work done and in on time, but it's also important that we recharge. Being not only physically exhausted but mentally exhausted is a horrible combination. Both are no fun to feel and I bet for our friends and peers it no fun to be around.

8.) Call your family members

This tip should be very important! Sometimes you may not think that your family will make your year the best, but really they can change everything. Just give your mom, dad, grandparents, siblings and even your pets a call telling them about your week. Tell them you miss and love them. It’s hard to be away from your family for not only you but them as well. I know sometimes my mom says she feels like she is bothering me if she calls but I always want to hear from her and tell her anything that was interesting that day, even if its the weird man who yelled at me on the street. They’re proud of you and it makes their day to hear from us.

9.) Make time for your friends

A social life in college is not required obviously, but it's essential to keep you sane. It's always best when you come home from a crazy day at school and you want to tell all your friends about it. It’s also fun to just live it up with your friends. College is the 4 years of your life where you’re able to act crazy and have the time of your life creating memories that will last forever. So go out and create memories, even if their in the comfort of your couch.

10.) Make time for yourself!

While it’s important to make time for your friends and your social life, its also important to have time to yourself. You may not realize you need it as you could very well be running around like a chicken with its head cut off. But please, don’t forget to make time for yourself. If you're continuously stressed out, then you won’t be able to keep yourself sane. We're not super humans who have the ability to do it all at once. Just watch some Netflix, drink some tea, take a bath or eat a whole cake. Whatever makes you happy. Just give yourself some time to decompress and then you can get back to killin the college game.

This seems like a lot to take in and do it all to make your year great, but if you take it slowly and plan things out, your year can run by with lots of learning, a bit of money, fun and relaxation! Make the most of your college experience. It’s only 4 years and as much as you don't want to believe the people who say “it goes by in a flash”, its ridiculously true. Light this semester up, I believe in you.