It’s that time of year again, my dudes. The time of year where we all think back fondly on the Ned’s Declassified years. Time for the dreaded start of school. While some of us (me) love the start of the school year, others dread it and would rather chop off their own arm than have to sit through yet another year of math. Whether you’re gleefully buying color-coordinated folders (me) and pre-reading your textbooks (me again) or setting fire to every sheet of college-ruled paper and no. 2 pencil in sight, you can make this year at least slightly better than the previous one. With a little positivity and an open mind, going back to classes will be a little bit easier and a whole lot better.

So. You’ve come to accept the fact that you have to go back to school. After you mourn the death of summer and all of the fun times you had (let’s be real, though: you mostly binge-watched Stranger Things and Friends), it’s time to prepare for your fate. This means that you need to find your chill.

“I am already chill,” you may scoff, but hear me out. Picture you, on the first day of class, relaxed, not stressing about your professors, ready for whatever life throws at you that day. You have good coffee, a nice snack to munch on, and your phone is fully charged. You’re wearing a casual yet confidence-inspiring outfit, which ensures your comfort no matter how broken the AC might be. Sound good? This could be you.

It’s pretty simple: prepare. The more prepared you are for the routine and stress of school, the better the transition back to class will be. You might think that this step is overrated or too hard, but I promise you, with a little prep work, your return to school will be so. Much. Better.

First off, find a sleep schedule. I know, all summer you’ve been heading to bed at 3 a.m. and waking up at noon. But, unless your class schedule has been touched by angels, that is not gonna fly during the school year. By adjusting your sleep schedule now, you’re saving your future self a lot of rushed mornings. To make this whole sleep schedule thing easier, start heading to bed earlier and waking up earlier by a few minutes each day. Say, 20 minutes. This way, your body eases into the new sleep parameters you’ve set up more gently. Start doing this a week or two before classes start up again, and by the time the first day rolls around, you’ll be rising and shining with much less grumbling.

Next, get organised! This means different things for different people, of course, but there are a few universal ideas that should help everyone.

• Find a planner. Whether it’s your hand, your phone, or paper and pen, find a planner that works for you and use it. You’ll actually remember stuff you’re supposed to do.
• Get rid of the baggage. If you have a bunch of leftover papers from last year that you don’t need, toss them. Organise what’s left into neater piles or files. Clean off your desk or bookshelf. It’ll help you breathe a little easier and make your study space cleaner. Speaking of study space…
• Find a study space! If you already have a space that works for you, great. Keep it. If not, figure out where you work best. Loud spaces? Quiet places? With other people? Alone? However you do you, make sure that you find a spot that works for your study habits. If you like music while you study, this is also a great time to make some study playlists!
• Figure out your schedule. Meal times, workout times, classes, meetings: writing that stuff down will make remembering it much easier (maybe you could put it in that cool planner system you worked out earlier?). And once you write it down, it’s easier to commit to! Don’t be wary of adding little stuff in, too, like self-care time or movie nights. Writing that down will remind you to take time for you and take care of yourself during stressful school times.

If you’re anything like me, now is the time to start studying. And if you’re not like me, now is the time where you’ll want to crawl in a hole and die. Studying doesn’t have to suck, though! Even just glancing at a syllabus, or flipping through a textbook may help. Have notes from last year that are still relevant to what you’re learning? Review them while you jam out to your favorite music. Were you supposed to read a book over the summer for a class? Have a movie night with friends and watch the film version to help you catch up on that novel you definitely read. And, for anyone taking U.S. history, this might help you out a bit. Even just light review can be very helpful.

Let’s get down to the fun stuff: doing stuff for you. For me, this means listening to the overture from An American in Paris on repeat, drinking chai tea, and reading plays. Whatever helps you relax and feel good, do that. Once school starts, it’s hard to find time for yourself, and, while you totally scheduled it in, right? It’s still difficult sometimes. Plus, by relaxing now and taking stock of yourself, you’ll be that much calmer when school finally arrives.

Though summer is almost over, your fun doesn’t have to be. You can enjoy the school year, too! Take time to prepare now, before it all piles up, and your school year will start off on a, dare I say, pleasant note.