By the time this article publishes, finals will be over and I'll be working for another week then heading home for a well-deserved break. After a semester that wrecked my life like no other, I want myself back. I let school and responsibilities crush my spirit and completely ruin my sense of self. I know I'm not the only one in this situation, so below are six ways to get yourself back after a rough semester.

1. Sleep.

Let's be honest. After finals, everyone needs about three days off to just lay in bed and sleep. Do it! Sure, there's really no way to actually "catch up" on sleep. But it still feels good to try. And it's definitely the best way to recharge and get your old energy back.

2. Work out.

You have time now so there's no excuse not to. If you're anything like me, working out is your absolute worst nightmare on break but it will help you feel better. Not only will your body actually feel better, but you'll feel better about yourself and before you know it, you'll start to feel like your normal, happy self again. And it can't hurt to start a healthy habit while you can.

3. Be creative.

Okay, maybe this is just for me but being creative can be very therapeutic. It feels good to create things, and I personally haven't had time to do so at all this semester. Get back in your groove and make the things that make you happy. Now that you don't have to focus on homework, you can focus on doing the things that actually make you happy.

4. Plan out next semester.

Not that I want anyone to have to think about school while they're on break, but this is probably my most important advice. If you don't want to feel as lost and broken next semester, it'll help to organize yourself for next year. Buy a cute planner and copy down the dates from your upcoming syllabi (in pencil just in case they change) and worry a little less about what you're going to do when the spring semester starts.

5. Watch Netflix... and don't feel bad.

There were a ton of great shows uploaded to Netflix in December, and you probably didn't have time to watch them. Even if you did it was probably a quick study break with all of your assignments sitting in the back of your head. Take the time now and enjoy being able to watch Netflix guilt-free.

6. Eat and eat well.

Develop another healthy habit! After a semester of only having time to eat ramen, make nice meals. It might be more tempting to just eat whatever you want, but it'll be a lot better to eat things that you know are good for you so that you can start to feel better.