New year, new timetable, and yep the holiday rust is real. Think of the first two weeks as a warm up, not a judgement day: reset your sleep so mornings are not brutal, then get your brain back into rhythm with short, consistent study sessions of 20 to 30 minutes instead of huge grinds.

Before school starts, skim last year’s notes and make a one page memory map of what you still remember and what feels shaky, that becomes your game plan, not a reason to stress. Set up your basics now too: folders, notebooks, a calendar for due dates, and a simple weekly routine with two review days and one catch up day. On day one, ask teachers what actually gets marks in their subject, it saves so much guessing. Then chase small wins early: one organised desk, one practice set done, one question asked in class. Momentum beats motivation every time, and once you’ve got momentum, everything feels easier

Nabil Harrar