In the spirit of New Year's and resolutions, there are several things to do before heading back to school. Here is a checklist of things to do to wrap up your winter break and get pumped for the new semester.

1. Clean your room

If you don't do this, then you face the risk of coming home on break to a messy room. You can't rely on your mom to clean it while you are gone!

2. Do your laundry

This is big! At home is the only time you'll have to have a washer and dryer completely to yourself! Take advantage of it and don't wait to do your laundry when you get back. I promise that it will be the last thing you want to do.

3. Empty out your binders

If you brought your binders home, it's a good idea to empty them and get them ready for the next class that's going to fill their pages.

4. Order your textbooks

I know that a lot of people like to wait and just get them at the Campus Bookstore, which is fine if you want to be stressed and overpay. Instead, check out places like Amazon and Chegg for great deals on new and used textbooks. And if all else fails, there is still the bookstore to fall back on.

5. Love your pets

This will be the last time that you see them for a while! #sad. Make sure you give them some extra attention and love before you leave.

6. Hang out with your parents

By now, we know that there are worst things than spending the afternoon with our parents. Our parents love us and want to see us before we go away for four months.

7. Go on that brunch outing with your high school friends that you've been putting off

Some people spend the entire break with their high school friends, and others avoid them at all costs. If you fall into the second category, then this one is for you. Go out with your friends at least once. That way, you'll still have people to fall back on when you are back in town and ever need anything. I promise that it will be worth it!

8. Organize your planner

I know that this can be difficult to do when you don't have a syllabus yet, but go ahead and write in dates that you know. Check out your school's calendar online and write in dates off or all the breaks you have. This will save you some time later on.

9. Create a plan

It's always good to tentatively map out your day. Obviously, this will change and evolve as your semester goes on, but go ahead and work on figuring out when you'll eat, do laundry, workout, etc. before heading back. That way you will do these things at scheduled times instead of out of necessity.

Doing these nine things will help save you time once you get back to school, and will make your life a whole lot easier. By doing some preparations beforehand, you'll have a much smoother transition out of winter break and into the new semester.