By the time December rolls around, most students are salivating at the idea of winter break, pushing through their finals with one thing in mind. Those vacation-like five weeks of decompression to alleviate one’s mind, all in different ways.

Whether you spend those weeks traveling, partying, picking up new hobbies, sitting on your couch watching Netflix or a combination of everything, dauntingly enough, we all have to chime back into reality eventually.

Here are some tips to help you stay standing when reality finally ticks back in:

• Figure out what day of the week it is. Time to, once again, start keeping good track of date and time.

• Start filling out a planner. According to a 2014 article by Time magazine, planning out your weeks and having a clear vision of what you need to accomplish may help you be more efficient, especially getting back in the swing of things. If you have an aversion to planners, there are always simple lists. Just know what you need to do.

• Start waking up at a respectable hour. Once school begins, chances are you will need to start getting up earlier. Getting in the habit of that a week or so in advance will be one less thing on your mind. Prepare yourself to get back into routine.

• Be hygienic and look respectable. As reported by Craig Jarrow, author of Time management ninja, looking respectable and feeling clean can be a confidence and productivity booster. In the words of Thomas Pynchon, “Change your hair, change your life.”

• Try meditation. According to Kate Pickert, author of The Art of Being Mindful, explains how meditation is becoming more popular among people who would not normally consider it. Research from various foundations, such as Cancer Research UK, shows that meditation can help focus and de-stress your brain. You can even try incorporating mobile apps like Calm into your daily routine.

Certainly up there as one of life’s bigger pains, refocusing might seem like a disheartening task. Not to worry, it’s just a part of life. The only thing worse than refocusing after a break is having no break at all.

Grant Schmieding can be reached at [email protected] or @theorion_news on Twitter.