After a month at home, winter break is quickly coming to a close. In a matter of days, college students all over the country will be returning to their life on campus. A months time spent away, studying abroad, visiting friends and family, sleeping in, eating home cooked meals...it's time to return. Cafeteria food, dorm rooms, and all the hustle and bustle of campus life is coming back into our lives full swing.

First thing is first. Let's make sure that we are prepared in the best way possible.

1. Memorize your schedule.

I like to get a jump start on getting everything ready so here are some things I do to prepare my new routine. I print out my schedule and post it everywhere. I put it on my fridge, I put it on my mirror and I make it the lock screen on my phone. Not to mention I write it out... a lot. Plus I write it out in text messages to compare with friends. After all, you have to figure out who you will be eating lunch with and designating naps.

2. Set up materials for classes.

Then I set up my binders and notebooks for classes where I write out the times, locations, and professors names on the first page of each. I am an organization freak, so I also color code. The tabs in my binders have to match the color of my notebooks. I write out color codes for my notebooks, like dates and times are highlighted in yellow, important names in pink, etc. Most importantly in the organization process, calendars. I have two, a large dry erase board in my dorm (also color coded) and then I have my planner which stays on me at all times. Tip: washy tape and colored pens are life savers.

3. Get sleep schedule back on track.

Winter break brings a lot of late nights and mornings that are full of sleep, as well as lazy afternoons that result in another late night. One big circle. After a solid month of this hectic sleep circle, its time to get it in check before those early morning classes start up. In order to do this, I start setting an alarm about a week and a half before the semester, with it going off an hour earlier each day until I reach the time I will have to get up for school.

4. Begin to pack.

Most college students live out of duffel bags and suitcases and laundry hampers while on break. I am no exception. But before heading back I do something kind of odd. I dump out everything on the floor, make piles, and do all my laundry. Then I take all the new clothes and other items I got for Christmas and figure out what is going back with me and what is not. Then as best I can I start packing with some organization plan in mind, in hopes this makes the unpacking process easier and more likely to happen as soon as I get back to the dorm, instead of weeks later.

It's a new year, filled with new classes, new resolutions, and new things to learn. Start off more organized, more hopeful, and more inspired to do the best. I vote we make the very best of it we can. Enjoy the final days of break and remind yourselves spring break isn't that far away.