Now that we are out of the crazy holiday rush and into solid weeks of school, we need a routine to stay focused. This doesn’t mean you make a plan and stick to it the rest of the school year, because chances are you won’t be able to. Good.

I have a routine for maximum efficiency in the morning and a routine for homework-dinner-break-bed time. These never actually go as scheduled, and every day is different. But I keep my routines and pretend to follow them. Some days I do my work and go to bed at a reasonable hour, talk to friends online, and manage to eat dinner in between homework assignments. Other times I completely ditch my responsibilities for a random night out with friends, or decide to do a small non-school project like learning to draw hands or sew lace onto skirts for length.

This may seem like bad advice to you over-achievers, but please, I insist: break away from your routine at least one night a week and do something spontaneous. I grabbed my super-busy friend and went to a comedy show were they ended up picking her from the crowd to start off the night!

Old people say “Youth is wasted on the young,” claiming we don’t enjoy life enough. What they forget is the reason why — school work. Prove those old people wrong! Stray from the path of repetitive tasks to keep your sanity. Just make sure to keep a routine to stray from.