It's about time! Start the school year off with a 'new your calendar

Girls' Life, Oct-Nov, 2003 by Jennifer Pangyanszki

8. Toss in the T's

Now that your firm dates are plastered into your planner, fit in your trimmed-down T's. Stick to your usual routine when possible, so you don't have to completely ditch old habits--just make a few adjustments when necessary. If you always do your homework right after school at 4 p.m., it's unlikely you'll stick with rising at 6 a.m. to complete it. To weed out wasted homework time, lose the half-hour you spend in chat rooms when you go on-line to do research for school assignments.

9. Time Out

Be sure to leave plenty of unplanned hours open for unexpected things that pop up (your parents have decided to paint the entire interior of the house, and they've made it clear that your help is mandatory) and enough down time to keep from stressing (everybody needs to just space now and then). But if you still have lots of leftover time on your side, fit in 'all that stuff you told everyone you'd have goin' on over the summer.

Do you want to form a JT fan club? Just do it! Dying to test your performance chops? Sign up to sing for old folks at the local nursing home. Adore all things furry? You could offer to walk your neighbor's dog, collect donations for the local animal shelter or even volunteer at the zoo!

TiMe'S UP!

You've tracked, tweaked and tallied.... Now you're majorly ready to make the most of your time!

10. Stay on Track

Your calendar won't be much help if you stash it in a desk drawer. Refer to it regularly, and do your best to institute some stick-to-itiveness. If you find yourself totally floundering, adjust your calendar to make it more do-able. And don't be so tough on yourself if you occasionally fall off the schedule wagon--even the most organized girl has to leave room for some spontaneity! Hey, anybody up for a last-minute trip to the matinee?