It’s Monday again. No matter how hard we try to prepare for it, Monday always seems to come as a surprise. Mondays hit us hard, especially if we didn’t get to catch up on rest over the weekend. What if I told you that Mondays no longer have to be something to dread? Here a few practical ways to boost your Monday mood:

First: Get up early. I often find that it takes me longer to get ready in the morning at the start of the week, because I have to get adjusted to a routine again. Set your alarm a few minutes earlier than usual so that you can get up, get dressed, shower, eat and do whatever you need to do in order to feel prepared for your first class. You will find that when you do give yourself enough time to get ready, you will not feel as stressed or disoriented heading into your day and your week.

Second: Eat a good breakfast. This is possible if you listen to the first piece of advice and give yourself plenty of time in the morning. Getting a hearty breakfast before your first class of the day will keep you focused so you can perform to the best of your ability and start off the week right. You’ll be able to focus and participate in class discussion, and who doesn’t love a little boost in their class participation grade?

Third: Follow your schedule. I know this is obvious, but sometimes, especially at the beginning of the week, we can be tempted to skip over meetings in order to save time or work on other things. Although this is sometimes justified, try to avoid it because you will be less likely to skip things later on in the week. Show up to your classes and attend those meetings, because you most likely can spare the time it takes to do these things, and you will feel a greater sense of accomplishment by doing so.

Fourth: Break your routine. I know this contradicts the last tip, but I mean it in the sense that you should break out of your comfort zone. Go to class and follow your schedule, but change your free time up a bit. Study somewhere new in between your classes or schedule lunch with someone you don’t usually see. By making little changes in your schedule, especially early on in the week, you are making your day new and exciting. It’s important to have a routine, but don’t be afraid to break it every now and then and add some excitement to your day.

Fifth: Make of list of things to look forward to. It’s important to set goals for yourself. First thing Monday morning, jot down a few things you want to accomplish by the end of the week. They can be academic goals like studying for a test or they can be personal goals like going to the gym three times in the week. Whatever your goals may be, writing them down encourages you to think about them throughout the week. Goals give us something to work towards, and who doesn’t love crossing something off their list and feeling a sense of accomplishment?

So next time Monday rolls around after a weekend that seemed to fly by too quickly, you can relax and look forward to the beginning of a new week with new opportunities and new excitement around every corner.