If you want to be more organized this year, now is the perfect time to start. While you may not have access to every class on BlackBoard, this is your chance to get started before you have a bunch of papers and studying to get done. This is the time to take advantage of new opportunities to do the things you meant to do last year, but never really got around to. It's all manageable; you just need to plan ahead and stay organized. You can do it!

1. Step up your professional development game.

Get on career services' office calendar. Schedule a mock interview before the semester even starts to make interviewing much less overwhelming. Meet with the director and find out what you need to do. This person's job is to help you develop professionally, so why not take advantage and let them help you? Those appointments book up fast and force you to do a little professional development. If you need help with your resume, you can bring it in and get help to make sure it's ready to be handed out.

2. Get a planner and write down your commitments.

Whether you like a paper planner or the iCalendar on your phone, go ahead and put in the dates you need to keep track of. If you start now, you'll get into the habit of using it and can keep track of everything going on without worrying you'll forget something. By writing down test dates and due dates, you can keep on track and avoid that last-minute panic. It's always easier when you have more time to study for a test or get a project done.

3. Set realistic goals and decide how you'll achieve them.

Everyone always says they want to raise their GPA and work harder, but that is way too general. Decide how exactly you want to improve and commit to doing small things one at a time to achieve your goal. It can be something as simple as saying you'll to spend the hour between classes going over material, instead of using your phone while you're waiting around.

4. Get things done at home that you might otherwise not do until you get back on campus.

If you're bringing a car for the first time, register it with the university. If you're planning on joining the campus gym, purchase your membership online while you're still home. While these things might not seem like such a big deal to do individually, once your workload piles up, you'll be happy to have fewer things to do (more time for Netflix and sleep).

Find out which classes you're taking offer tutoring, and sign up while there are still spots available. This is another thing you can write in your planner to make sure that you won't miss it!

At the end of the day, everyone wants to do well in school. If you feel overwhelmed about the new semester, remember you're not alone. Take it one day at a time and check things off of your list!