It can be rough. It can be shambly. I'm getting scared just thinking about it.

1. Plan ahead. Nothing will ruin your week like finding out about a huge paper last minute. A couple of weeks ahead, double check all of your class schedules and find out what your week looks like. With planning and preparation, you can still work around an exam. If possible, do any and all homework assignments or online quizzes/tests.

2. Communicate with your buddy. This one is particularly important if you don't know your buddy very well. Get an idea of what their academic week looks like. Get friendly, ask lots of questions, and give them a heads up about how much you'll be around.

3. Take care of yourself. Grand Prix can be a long and exhausting week. For a couple of weeks leading up to GP get enough of sleep, drink lots of water, take vitamins. If you're feeling REALLY ambitious, maybe even workout a couple of times.

4. Gather the essentials. Frat tanks, shorts/chubbies, fanny packs, water bottles, hats, sunglasses, frisbees, bandaids, medical insurance information (as a precautionary measure, of course). If any or all of these things were lost on Spring Break, you might start looking to replace them. When GP rolls around, you'll be glad to have them.

5. Prime your cell phone. First, back up your phone to your computer. There has been more than one iPhone fatality as a result of Grand Prix and YOU ARE NOT IMMUNE. Next, invest in a case that protects your phone. Even if you only use it for GP a $30 case is better than a $80 screen replacement. Finally, put some sick tunes on your phone. You never know when you need to step in as the interim darty DJ.