First semester has just ended, and it’s now time for a fresh new start in all your classes. Maybe you didn’t do as well as you had hoped in some of your classes last semester, but that doesn’t mean you have to repeat the same mistakes twice. Here are a few tips in making sure you achieve the best grades in your classes.

1. The most important thing to do is stay organized. If you haven’t already invested in a planner then do so. If this hasn’t worked for you in the past, you can set reminders on your phone using the Reminders app, or using the Calendar App to set off notifications for when things are due.

2. Stop putting off your studying until the night before. If you’re aware of a test a week in advance, START STUDYING. This doesn’t mean you have to study an hour a night before the test. If you manage your time right, looking over your notes or making flashcards each night before your test for 15-30 minutes will be a good start.

3. Get more sleep! While watching a whole season in one night on Netflix sounds tempting, getting up early with only 4 hours of sleep does not. Besides the fact that you’re exhausted all day, not getting enough sleep will lower your performance on tests and you could end up dozing off in class by mistake

4. Hide your distractions! Your iPhone, twitter, Instagram and Facebook are all major distractions when it comes to homework or studying. Unless using your phone is detrimental to your homework, hide your phone somewhere where you can’t see it. This will help you to resist the urge to check it every 5 minutes.

5. Reward yourself with breaks. Studying and homework can be super tedious. If you establish 30 minute breaks every 2 hours (or hour and a half) that you work on an assignment, you might be more motivated to get it done. Also, this can help you de-stress a little from the pile of work you may have.