After a stressful nine weeks full of trying to pull together grades, most students probably wanted a break from school and anything school related. Winter break was just perfect for that. After those two weeks, it could take a while to feel like doing anything again.

Here are some tips to help you start off the second semester strong.

Rest up: If you’re anything like me, your sleep schedule is all messed up. I went to sleep at four in the morning and didn’t wake up until about two in the afternoon. There were nights I didn’t even go to sleep. By the time school rolled around, I couldn’t go to sleep at my usual 10 o’clock bedtime. I slept really late again and came to school tired. I couldn’t focus on anything else except trying not to fall asleep. Getting enough sleep is very important, because having enough rest ensures you won’t be sluggish or having too much difficulty paying attention in class.

Just do it: After having the luxury of doing nothing for two weeks, you might really not want to do anything. However, we don’t have that luxury anymore, so you have to adopt Nike’s slogan and just get it done. In the words of Benjamin Franklin, “Never leave for tomorrow what you could do today.”

Keep it up: It might take a few days or maybe even weeks to get into the habit of having to do these things again, but persistence is key. Keep at it and you should be back in no time. Things could easily be jumbled up with changing schedules and all of the testing going on, but you should be patient and remember you’re halfway there just keep going.

Good luck with the second semester.