The post-spring break survival guide

You have traded sandy beaches and palm trees for Arjona classrooms and the trail to Carriage. Or maybe you've traded in home-cooked meals for the glory of Putnam Dining Hall. Whether you went south of the border or stayed home all break, you've been thrust back into Storrs and all the amenities it provides - class, exams, papers and surfacing midterm grades. How do you survive the post-spring break blues? With six weeks left until finals, these helpful hints will keep you on track (or keep you having fun while going off track) for the rest of the semester.

1. Stay on top of your

studies

OK, so Homer Babbidge has nothing on Daytona Beach. But don't let your pre-spring break hard work go to waste. Keep track of what exams you have coming up and when papers are due. Take advantage of the Writing and Q center here on campus.

"Knowing that we only have about six weeks left of classes before exams forces me to stay on track so I can finish the semester well," said Ava Horyn, a 6th-semester nutritional science major. "It's important to plan your time efficiently because it's so easy to get behind. Setting up a schedule or specific time slots for studying help me stay focused on what's important in my classes."

With warm weather on the way, it might be a good idea to stop hibernating and to mix up your studying habits. Take a textbook outside to stay on track without letting the sunshine go to waste. Plan your schedule so that you finish your paper before a weekend packed with cookouts. Don't let your GPA suffer as much as your liver did last week.

2. Spring Weekend is in the Air

Instead of lamenting your fading tan and mounting work, keep in mind that Spring Break has taken us one week closer to Spring Weekend. The weather's getting warmer, the days are getting longer, and April is getting closer. Focusing on this weekend of college glory, whether you plan on attending school-sponsored events or the madness of Carriage, Celeron, and X-Lot, will become a beacon on the dwindling semester's horizon.

"Spring Weekend is the only thing keeping me going to get ready for finals," Michael Ross, a 6th semester Natural Resources major said.

3. Spend Time with Friends, Especially Seniors

While Spring Weekend and the summer both serve as things to look forward to amidst your post-break blues, you should also realize this also means an approaching summer away from your friends or (gulp) graduation. If you're a senior, or a friend of a senior, make sure you spend your last six weeks making it count.

"I will use alcohol as a crutch in the two months left until summer," Chris Marciniak, a 6th semester English major said. "With this economy it doesn't matter what my grades are anyways. I might as well have fun."

Get together with friends and relive the stories of spring breaks that have come and gone. So wipe away the post-spring break tears and keep the sun block and flip-flops handy. Stay organized, count the days until Spring Weekend and enjoy the time you have left until everyone packs up for the summer or for good.