It's been a great break. However, as with any vacation, it's now time to return to the real world.

Sure, it's been awesome to have days where you barely changed out of your pajamas, and times where the only stress you had was deciding what snack to eat from your pantry. Unfortunately, all good things do come to an end, and the time has come to go back to school.

In the whirlwind of trying not to think about returning and not being able to wait to see your friends again, things that need to be done just may not have been at the forefront of your mind. Whether it be certain responsibilities or simply things you want to do before the next time you're home, the list seems to only be getting longer, as the days you have until you head back only get shorter.

Here's a list of six things to make sure you do before you're back at school.

1. Clean out last semester's old folders and notebooks

Whether it be to metaphorically erase the past semester and start over, or simply to start the year off organized, this is very helpful. I usually keep the old syllabi from past classes, exams, and papers to reference back on, and I keep them together in one folder that I keep at school with me. It's helpful to have that refresher on how certain professors grade, especially if you're going to have that same professor for a second time.

2. Get all your books and supplies as soon as you can

Notebooks or binders, pencils or pens, whatever works for you; just make sure you have it going in! No one wants to be behind already during the very first week of classes. Books, especially, you should order as soon as possible. You can often get the best deals if you order early while there are still used books left, and you won't have to worry about delays in shipping.

3. Spend as much time with your family and friends as possible

Some of your extended family members, like cousins or grandparents, you won't see for months, and you might only get to see some friends from high school if your college breaks align. Enjoy the time you have with them while you're still within an hour's drive from each other!

4. Cook some pre-made meals to bring back with you

You know as well as I do that cooking good meals gets pushed to the wayside during the school year. Most days, you don't have that extra half-hour or hour to spend preparing dinner, so by cooking some meals that you can freeze and save while you have the free time to do it, you're saving yourself a lot of time, energy, and nights of ramen noodles.

5. Do laundry and start sorting out your clothes to pack

Everyone hates packing. The earlier you start putting aside, or even packing away, some of your clean clothes, the faster the process will go later on. When you're standing in the middle of your room an hour before you have to head back to campus, and your clothes and shoes are still covering your floor, you'll wish you had put some more thought into packing that week.

6. Spend some time enjoying the peace

Once the semester starts, it doesn't seem to slow down until finals are over. There is always going to be a paper to do, an assignment to complete, or a reading to get done. Enjoy the time to relax, stress free, while you can. There won't be nearly as much time for it from this point forward.

We're all slowly heading back to our schools and taking our time with preparing for it. However, as with anything, it's best to get a head start and make the most of your free time now. So start preparing, and good luck to everyone as they start their next semesters!