Waking up for the first day back to school, the dread settles in the air. After a long vacation filled with Netflix, napping, and friends, sinking back into your usual school routine can be hard. With some helpful tips to get back into spirit, you’ll be writing essays and finishing reports in no time.

Come into school with a good attitude. Starting off the day by moping and wishing that you were still at home eating on your couch will be no help. Instead, spend your day saying hello to friends you haven’t seen in two weeks and smiling at teachers. Although hard to resist, wearing pajamas and yoga pants every day will only add to the negative attitude. Remember: the better you look, the better you feel. By wearing clothes that make you feel put-together, you’ll be more confident and this boost of confidence will help you get through the day.

As hard as it is, focusing on school once you get back is important. Coming back to school means loads of work to catch up on, and falling behind is the worst situation to put yourself in. Working hard and pushing yourself through the first few weeks will be sure to pay off in the end. If there’s little motivation to do this, ask your friends to help you study. Keep your mind off of home and keep your concentration on school. Procrastination is another hard habit to beat, but necessary. By waiting until midnight to finish that last geometry worksheet or to write that five-page paper, you’ll wake up the next morning not only regretful but also tired, grumpy, and unmotivated. Instead, finish your homework after school so you’ll have time to do anything else the rest of your night, and you’ll have plenty of time to sleep. This will make your experience all the better.

When coming back in January, midterms are just around the corner. With all of the pressure to do well, stress tends to build up. Don’t freak out. Although midterms are soon, there’s plenty of time to study. Use friends to help study, take time in advisory to look over notes, and most importantly, stay calm. Although midterms scare almost every high school student, there’s no need. Although important, midterms only count for 10% of your grade. While students should still study and work hard to do well, this is not the end of the world. Even so, the best reward comes after finals. With a whole new semester comes a fresh start and a chance to improve, along with new classes.

These three tips are your new guide to getting back into school. With these helpful reminders, it’ll be February break in no time.