By Kelly Leslie, Student at San Francisco State University

Labor Day weekend has passed, and school is officially back. We all know what that means … it's time to get organized.

This is my favorite time of the year, but if you're anything like me, it takes a little effort after a summer filled with rest and relaxation.

Are you stressed about getting back into the swing of things? Here are some tips that are sure to help you out!

First Things First:
Believe it or not, getting organized begins with your bedroom. Organizing your room is the best way to start the year off right. Many students don't realize it, but a messy living area always causes stress and chaos. Not only will a clean living space give you peace of mind, but you'll also be able to come home and get right to your schoolwork without feeling like you are skipping out on chores.

Having a hard time getting organized? Intensely clean your room and put everything away so that every surface is cleared. Remember where you decided to put everything and always put it back in the same place after you use it. The key: It's much easier to put something away after you use it than it is to organize your whole room again.

On Schoolwork:
It's almost always difficult for those of us who didn't do summer school to get used to having homework again. It's easy to forget about assignments when going from an empty schedule to a hectic, full schedule.

Do you write everything down? This is the best way to remember what you have to do! School is always a great excuse to go buy a cute agenda, but sometimes I even forget to use mine. Make sure you write down all of your assignments when the teacher announces them and check your agenda every day.

Do you use Apple products? Skip the cute agenda and use the electronic one on your iPad! It will automatically sync with your iPhone, so you will have your calendar wherever you go! Don't have Apple products? Google Calendar also syncs across all devices. You can use the calendar on your computer and access it from your smartphone at any time.

Getting A Head Start:
Are you worried you are going to leave your big projects to the last minute? This is a common problem for all college students. Avoid this by giving yourself a timeline for the semester. Look through your class syllabi and write down all major deadlines. Make a large calendar and give yourself personal deadlines.

Decide when you are going to start each project and the date you want to be finished by. This is the ultimate way to keep your work from piling up on you at the end of the term.

Your Personal Health:
A healthy you is not only a happy you, but a successful you. This starts with putting yourself first. It's easy to get carried away with a busy schedule but don't let your health suffer because of it. Always remember to schedule time to grocery shop, cook and exercise.

Don't have a lot of free time to go to the gym? Find out if you have access to the one on campus. Chances are you have at least one 30-minute break during your day, and this is the perfect time to squeeze in 20 minutes of cardio. Have some free time in the evening? Grab some girls and do a workout video in your living room!

Worried you won't have time to cook? Prepare your meals ahead of time. If you have a day off over the weekend, spend a good hour or two grocery shopping and making food for the rest of the week. If you don't have time to do this, go to your local health food store and buy some pre-made salads or frozen dinners. You'll be glad you have those when you need to grab one on the go.

​One Last Thing:
Don't forget to sleep! Never set deadlines for yourself that go beyond your personal bedtime. Even if it seems that there is no other time to get work done … there usually is. The more sleep you are able to get, the more organized and prepared for school you will feel!

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