It's official, I survived my first day of my sophomore year of college and I can say without hesitation that the hardest parts of my day was waking up and leaving my room to go to my classes. Even though I'm excited for the new school year, after roughly three months of summer vacation, my brain isn't exactly ready to catch up with school. With four English classes and one ethics class, my goal is to catch up as soon as I can! In hopes for everyone to get back into the game, here are some tips on how to slowly get off summer brain!

1. Create a daily routine for yourself.

Set that alarm and stick with it! Don't overestimate the time it takes for you to actually get out of bed and how long you need to get to your classes. The more time you give yourself in the morning to get ready, the more relaxed you'll be while getting ready to start your day.

2. Make to-do lists.

If you're like me, and not the type of person to commit to a planner, writing out a to-do list on a sticky note will do you wonders. Lay out all the things you need to do so your tasks are organized and you won't forget anything!

3. Do your homework ahead of time.

Putting your homework off until the night before it's due is the worst thing you could possibly do for yourself. It's a mistake we all make over and over again. I guarantee you'll feel a whole lot better without the weight of homework hanging over your shoulders.

4. Get out of your room.

Get out of bed and get out of your room and get some sunlight and fresh air! Don't become dormant in your room because that's the easiest way to slip back into a summer comma.

5. Don't create excuses.

If you're always making an excuse to put off something important, you're just making it harder on yourself. Don't create excuses (often) for homework, calling your parents or setting aside some time for yourself. Trust me, you'll thank yourself later on.

6. Get excited about your classes.

Getting excited about your classes is probably one of the top things that will definitely motivate you and alter your attitude about being back at school. All it takes is getting excited about having one class or having a favorite teacher.

7. Create attainable goals for yourself.

Create a small amount attainable goals throughout the year! Set yourself up for success and achieve them to the best of your ability!

8. Surround yourself with motivated people.

Surround yourself around people who are motivated and focused and hopefully their motivation will rub off on you.

9. Admit you'll need help.

Don't think that you can always figure out everything on your own, you'll never learn anything! Use all the resources around you that are available. Tutoring centers or emailing teachers; they're here for you. Utilize them.