1. Make a rough schedule.

We know it feels like a lot of work, but for now, just figure out where to start. Set achievable goals for yourself. Don’t schedule every hour of every day—just make a rough ‘I’ll get the first 10 pages done by Thursday’ schedule. This also allows you the freedom to take breaks without feeling super guilty about it.

2. Schedule a meeting at the Writing Center or with your professor.

Meeting with peers, seniors, and professors is a great way to brainstorm and refine the assignments you’re working on. You may think you’ve researched all the possible arguments for your paper, but we guarantee that running them by someone will introduce an idea you’ve might have missed. Not to mention, having that conversation is a great way to boost your own confidence in your paper and ensure that you’re able to formulate your ideas into words.

3. Take a break.

Seriously. We know that the looming threat of deadlines haunts you even in your dreams, but a break can help you freshen up and approach that assignment (the one you swear the professor gave you in a moment of spite) with a brand new perspective. But don’t spend your break thinking about how many minutes you have left or trying to plan what you’ll do after it. Just let yourself enjoy peace and relaxation for a moment. It’s not a break at all if you spend the whole time worrying.

4. Watch a childhood classic.

Your friends probably insist they’re too busy to hang out, but you’ve still got good old Disney. Huddle up under a blanket, relive the better days, and watch an old childhood movie again, preferably with a tub of ice cream or a metric ton of chocolate. Cry your eyes out when Mufasa dies and let all your stress come out of the wet, chocolate covered mess that you’ve become.

5. Snap back to reality.

Oh, there goes gravity—wait! No. Stop yourself. Realize that you gave in to the corporate model of Netflix and allowed yourself to be swallowed by its recommendations list. It’s still not too late. Come back to us, there’s still time to save your grade.

6. Contemplate the futility of it all.

It feels like it’s too late. The work will never get done. Is that ‘A’ really worth it? What value does an arbitrary letter on a piece of paper have? Is college really all that important? Is LIFE all that important? And even if it is, don’t most success stories involve a college dropout anyway?

7. Talk to someone about it.

Talking to people is a great way to get rid of stress. Especially now since you no longer care about grades, you probably feel like the whole world should know how you broke free of the constraints that bind mortals and prevent them from rising like you did. Heck, talk to your professor about it—tell them who’s boss.

8. FTFO*

This. This is the most important part of this entire process. This single step determines everything. You talked to your professor, or maybe you didn’t, and you realized the deadline is tomorrow. Freak the flip out*. Do it. Scream, panic, run around like a madman, in-take toxic amounts of caffeine, dress like a homeless person, let your hair and beard (optional) grow inexplicably wild within the course of 24 hours.

9. Realize that somehow you made it.

After all the caffeine-induced stupors and the series of all-nighters you pulled, somehow the adrenaline-fueled, incoherent ball of stress that you are managed to put together the last of your assignments and pull itself through to the other side. Take it all in and breathe in the fresh air of freedom. Turn around and take a good hard look at what you’ve conquered. Go out with friends, party till you drop, and just as you begin to enjoy yourself, remember that grades come out in a few days.

10. Promise yourself you’ll do better next semester………

……just like you did last time.