Beware Panthers! It is that time of the year again. You hear Mariah Carey at the mall, you see red and green everywhere, and maybe your teachers are doing some Christmas activities. You can almost taste the sweet release of winter break. 

However, before you know it, it is 3 AM and you are doing four assignments. Oh, and finals are staring straight at you. The more you run from your responsibilities this time of year, the more quickly those responsibilities catch up to you.

Do not fall into this trap! December can be very valuable if used correctly. This is the perfect time to start reviewing all the little details you may have forgotten from September. Finals cramming seems inevitable, but it is not! Save yourself the tears and head banging by starting now. 

When I was a freshman, I unfortunately did not follow this bit of advice. I had a very, very painful week before break. I am not alone either in my advice. Emily Barrie, a junior, had this to say: “It’s important not to slack off because it’s almost the end of the semester. You have to be responsible and push through because you’re so close to making it!”

Furthermore, it is definitely not too late to bump up a borderline grade. With work and preparation you can get those C’s up to B’s, or B’s up to A’s! Even if you cannot, it is not the end of the world. Knowing that you tried your very best is enough. Getting an A+ does not mean you are a perfect person, and getting a C- does not mean you are stupid or lazy. Your life is not a game of percentages and letters!

Lastly, even if everything above is not a worry for you, December still is not a “chill” month. No matter what classes you are taking, you will probably have far more tests than usual. In the wise words of everyone in the resource center, “DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE SEMESTER TO MAKE TESTS UP!” Everyone else has the same idea, and there are only so many seats in the testing center. 

Freshman and sophomores, believe me when I say academic resource time is your best friend. Before, you had to hope your free mod would line up with a teacher’s free mod to receive help. You now have a lovely sixty minutes to address your questions. Go ask your teacher if you do not understand what a lipid is or if you cannot find a quote with Boo Radley in it! 

The team at the St. Clarion asked students what their school life would be without Academic Resource Time. Mansi Lathia answered, “It’d be so much harder to get anything done between all my classes and extracurriculars.” Lack of time is only compounded further in December.

The best way to keep December manageable is to avoid procrastinating. It is very tempting, but this is the worst possible time of the year you could push work to the last minute. Planners and to-do lists are a great way to keep everything organized and in your control. Work hard Panthers!