Every school year feels like a lifetime, yet the first marking period has already flown by. We are all familiar with our teachers and our classmates, and clubs and afterschool activities are becoming routine. Sophomores are finally getting used to high school, juniors are stressing out over SATs, and seniors are feeling senioritis creeping upon them.

With Thanksgiving break behind us, we have to make it through another week until winter break comes along. Let’s be honest—even the sophomores are starting to get senioritis by now.

It is easy to fall into a monotonous schedule at school. Every day starts feeling the same: 1st Block, Titan Forum, 2nd Block, 3rd Block, 4th Block, Done. Every day is the same thing, and this repetitiveness begins taking up your life.

So how do we make it through?

Just because the break is so close, there is no excuse to slack off in class. Rather, the approaching break should be motivation to work harder and make the break even more enjoyable. The end of the second marking period is closer than it seems, and when we come back to school in January, finals will be right around the corner. But we’ll save that for later….First, we need to find motivation to make it to December 23rd.

The month between Thanksgiving and winter break always feels the longest. However, there are ways to make this time in school an enjoyable experience rather than a burden.

Even if you have already established your “friend group” in your classes, don’t be afraid to start talking to other people in your classes. It’s never too late to meet someone new, and I’m sure there is someone in one of your classes who you could get to know. Having more friends always makes a class a lot more fun, and you might even find yourself looking forward to coming to school some days.

Bring the holiday spirit to school! Wear festive clothing (time to bring out those ugly Christmas sweaters) to brighten your spirit! Buy some Candy Grams to give to your friends, and listen to those holiday tunes.

While you are having fun and getting ready for the holidays, remember to work hard in your classes too. After this one month, you will have a nice two weeks to clear your mind and de-stress.

DO pay attention and participate in class. While it seems like a good idea to talk to your friends in class rather than listen to the lectures, it makes preparing for the next quiz or exam twice as hard as it would be if you had listened. DO ask questions in class! If you don’t understand something, it definitely helps to have the teacher go over what you need to know specifically. While this may be cliché advice, it is important to avoiding laziness. Who cares if someone thinks that your question is “stupid”? When you score better on the test, their opinion will be obsolete. In addition, teachers will recognize if you are trying to comprehend the information through participating. If you are a sophomore or a junior, this could be helpful when you are trying to get teacher recommendations for college your senior year…

So remember: break out of the boring school day routine, enjoy your time at school with your friends, pay attention in class, and do what makes you happy. Before you know it, winter break will be here.