So you just got home from spring break. You’re still a little tipsy, not sure what’s going on, and starting classes. You like most people are suffering the “spring break hangover”. Symptoms are laziness, no willingness to go to class, no desire to do homework, and the endless hope of summer vacation. Over the years I believe that I have figured out how to master this hangover, and it doesn’t involve endless amounts of coffee, aspirin, and other old wives tales. So let’s get straight into it.

Image Credit: *Micky

Pro-Tip #1: Keep a routine

Try to keep one habit consistent throughout the year, and drinking doesn’t count. For me it’s the time I wake up, every day of the year I wake up at 6:45 AM-7:00 AM. I’m not saying that you have to do this, but you want to find something that works for you, bed time, exercise, or even reading for a certain amount of time every day. This helps you get back into a routine faster after breaks, because you still have one constant habit that you are holding on too.

Pro-Tip #2: Hit the ground running

When you get back to school, start hard, go to all your classes, force yourself to finish assignments early, and drive yourself to get things done. You want to hit the ground running, this gets you back into the swing of things much faster.

Pro-Tip #3: Have a plan

I always tell people that having a plan is the single most important thing you can ever do. I tend to write out my tasks for the next day on a index card before I go to bed, find me any time anywhere and I will have this index card on me. As I finish tasks I cross them off. I include classes, lunch, dinner, meetings, errands, assignments, and everything else on this card. Since I can look down and see exactly what I have left, I find myself less likely to fall into the trap of laziness.

Pro-Tip #4: Be consistent

I know I said hit the ground running, but also remain consistent. If 4 hours a day of studying was you average before break, start at 2-3 hours a day for that first week that you get back. Also don’t hit the party scene that first week back to school, I would highly recommend taking a break for a week to gather your wits and settle back into your study mode.

Pro-Tip #5: Come home a little early from break

I like to be home a couple days before classes start, I know it’s hard and wah wah cry me a river. Getting those two days at home will allow you to get your body back to normal after the spring break abuse, fix any broken sleep cycles, and get you some well needed rest and heal your body.

Pro-Tip #7: Go to a Catholic university

Seriously we get Easter break which is 4 days like 2 weeks after spring break, and we have tons of random breaks all over the place.

Okay well that last one was a joke, but I hope you enjoyed my post and wish you the best of luck in getting back into the swing of things.

What are your best tips for getting back into study mode after spring break and curing the “spring break hangover”? Post in the comments below.