A student’s return to the dreaded high school halls after a holiday can prove challenging. Dogged by the after-effects of their Thanksgiving food-induced coma, students may find it hard to land on their feet – especially with Christmas break a mere four weeks away.

Take Naps
No, not in class – although it can tempt even the best of us. Students will need all their energy for this holiday season full of head colds, so power naps are encouraged. (I promise your homework can wait at least that long)

Find Your Fix
From coffee to hot tea, everyone uses their own fix to fuel them through the workday. So before leaving the house in the morning, pack some snacks or fill up a thermos of coffee to help stay focused during class. Happy tastebuds make for happy students.

Stop and Smell the Christmas Trees
Convince your parents to buy a real Christmas tree, and breathe in the piney goodness when a stress-induced headache creeps in. No studies prove this helps a headache, but pine trees smell heavenly. Presents under the tree also make for great motivators in the finals season.

Wear Fuzzy Socks
Fuzzy, adorable and warm – if fluffy cats decked out in Santa hats on feet do not cause a smile, I am not sure anything will. Plus, the thirty seconds showing off the festive socks to friends means thirty seconds not spent on math.

Make a List
Two actually – a to-do-list and a Christmas list. The to-do-list will help with accountability and organization as teachers pile on assignments. The Christmas list will help with sanity during breaks from said to-do-list. Come on, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Remember Your Mental Health
Personal time for each day to recharge the batteries and stay fresh mentally. Going full speed will only make matters worse. Remember, school is a marathon not a sprint, enjoy the small things to keep morale up.