The first few weeks of school are always tough to get through. Kissing the freedom and simplicity (or maybe a jam-packed schedule) of summer good-bye always takes some adjusting, especially now that it’s (apparently) time to put all of your summer clothes away.

Here are some ideas on how to go from summer mode to a school mindset while still maintaining your sanity.
Join a Fitness Class: The Coors Fitness Center provides many opportunities to work out in a fun and community-oriented fashion. They offer classes throughout the day and afternoon for all different fitness levels and interests.

Grab some friends and head to a cycling or Zumba class or, if you’re feeling particularly motivated, to a HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) core class. The endorphins you’ll get from the exercise will make you feel happier and more energetic, and it’s a healthy opportunity to hang out with some friends.

Head Downtown: DU offers the unique opportunity to live in one of the biggest and most booming cities in the country, so what better way to appreciate being back? Go to a museum, the 16th Street Mall, an art gallery, a park, a restaurant or anywhere that’s not in or around campus. It’s nice to take a study break and appreciate what a beautiful and cultural place we live in.

Give Yourself Study Incentives: Motivate yourself to study by creating goals and rewarding yourself for them. If you have a long reading assignment, put gummy bears on the page and eat them once you get to that spot. If you study for an hour in the library, allow yourself to take a short walk. Get a smoothie after you finish a tough assignment. If you have small things to look forward to, you’ll be more inclined to get down to business.

Change Up Your Study Routine: Study at a different time or place than usual. Make it an adventure and challenge yourself to go to a new place everyday. Have you ever studied in Mary Reed? Or the window-wrapped cubby on the top floor of the library? Try to find the best secret study spot on campus.

Treat Yo’ Self: Get new school supplies. Everyone knows the best part of starting the school year is getting new stuff. Go out and get a fancy new planner, nice notebooks with big pages and a bunch of cool pens and pencils. Because all of the supplies are shiny and new, you’ll be more inclined to use them.

Motivation is Key: Buy some cool motivational posters. Not the cheesy kind high school counselors hang up on their walls, but the cute kind you see on Pinterest and always want. Put them up in your room and try to read them every day to keep yourself inspired in both school and life.

It’s certainly difficult to get back into the mindset of class schedules, homework and never getting enough sleep, but a few tweaks to the normal routine can make all the difference. Stay motivated, Pios. We can all slack off in nine weeks.