So now that the holidays are long gone and I can no longer stuff my face with my mom's food, that means that second semester has officially started.

Now I'm well aware that it's only the second or third week in for you all, but I've already basically pulled an all-nighter and to keep my sanity I'm going to type up a few things, perhaps a little sarcasm involved, to give you struggling college kids that need some motivation to not want to jump of a cliff.

1. Take a lot of naps.

Now, kids, let me just clear the air. Fifteen minutes with your eyes closed is not a nap, OK? You need to put on a timer for a minimum of two hours. This way, even though you only slept three hours last night that two hours can make it feel like five, which means congratulations, you've successfully completed 50 percent of your recommended sleep intake last night. Have a random two-hour break in between your classes? Speed walk your way to your bedroom room and wrap yourself in all your blankets and nap, nap away

2. Write down to-do lists.

I am a list-making machine. I've pretty much kept post-it notes in business with all of my purchases. But seriously, write everything down. Whether it's to do laundry, to read those 75 pages for philosophy that are due tomorrow, to put $5 of gas in your car because that's all you can afford, just write it down. And then, once you actually complete it, even if it only took two minutes to do, you're going to feel like a badass.

3. Silence your phone.

Silence my phone? How will I know when someone is trying to contact me? How will I survive? Please, you'll be OK. Whenever you have a lot of work to do and you keep refreshing your Twitter page instead of talking about Socrates, you need some self-control.Put your phone on silence -- eh, what the hell, if you're feeling daring turn it off, and get cranking. Honestly, it takes me some convincing to do this sometimes but when I realize I have eight hours of homework to do and it's already 10:00 p.m., I know it's time to drop the phone and get some serious work done.

4. Physical activity.

OK, so I'm not going to lie to you, I'm excluding myself from this one and counting my 25 hours a week standing and making lattes my exercise, but seriously, I highly recommend you do some sort of exercise.

Even if it's walking down some stairs to get a bag of chips in the vending machine. (If you have to walk far to your classes, it totally counts as physical activity.) So basically, all I'm saying is leave your bed and walk to class and you are already just living life, man.

5. Write down your deadlines EVERYWHERE.

This one is crucial because if you're anything like me and probably every other college student, you have no concept of time. I mean it's February and I'm still writing 2015 on my pages so clearly I'm just on top of things. Get out your $1 desk calendar and spend 15 minutes writing down when papers are due, when thesis statements need to be submitted, midterms, quizzes. Highlight them. Draw around them. Whatever you have to do to make it get your attention. That way when you realize it's a week away you can actually start to prepare for it instead of trying to sleep the night before and realizing you have a paper due at 8:30 a.m.

6. Eat a lot of food.

Food is energy and energy means you won't hate your life as much. Instead of having to chug coffee like you chug your beer on Thirsty Thursdays, you can actually drink some water or something that isn't going to make you twitch, and still be well aware of your surroundings in the classroom. Plus, who doesn't love food?

7. Actually, take notes when reading.

Now first year of college I barely even read the textbooks and let me tell you my grades definitely showed that. Unless you're some genius that has a photographic memory, there is no way that you're going to be the best of your class if you don't really do the readings. Don't just skim the pages; sit down, write down the key concepts, the vocabulary... That way when you're in your lecture and the teacher asks a question you can fly your hand in the air and answer the question all because your notes are in front of you (not because you actually remembered but no one has to know).

8. Hang out with people.

This seems so easy and that's because it is. If you're one of those people that completely consumes themselves in their classes, I mean sure, you might be doing great in those classes, but chances are you're probably bored and feel like you aren't getting the best out of your college years. Not saying you have to go crazy Thursday to Sunday and have no recollection of any of the weekend, but just go out with your friends. Even if it's just to go to Wegmans and get juice boxes and Hot Pockets because that's what young adults do. Leave campus. Give yourself some free time. I know there's not a lot of it but make the best of that time with your friends. You're going to remember the times you went and fooled around grocery shopping more than your lecture on Shakespeare anyway, let's be honest.

9. Take chances.

Oh man, you're probably thinking that I was trying to be funny this whole time, but I'm getting real serious right now. Take chances. Stop being so scared of living and just do you. It's easier said than done but it's still the beginning of a new year and it's never too late to want to make changes.

If you want to wear your super funky pants that you secretly love but don't want to get judged for, go put them on right now and strut around campus like you're the next Beyonce. You want to meet some new friends that you can stay up late with and talk about whatever? Go out and find those people. Make mistakes. Live and learn. These truly are the best years of your life to explore what makes your face hurt from smiling.

10. Call your mom (and dad).

I still call my mom and tell her basically everything about my life. It could be just the fact that I did my laundry and cleaned my room and thought she'd be proud to telling her I got accepted to study abroad. Talking to your parents is not only comforting, it also means so much to them that you took the time to not forget about "your ol' folks."

11. Dolphy Day.

Because let's be honest, if you go to Le Moyne, this is about the only thing that's keeping you
grounded until then. And if you don't go to Le Moyne, well, that stinks.