After a relaxing and enjoyable three-week hiatus from the hustle and bustle activity that engulfs Happy Valley, students are finding themselves unpacking their clothes, organizing their folders, and prepping for another semester yet again.

At the beginning of every semester, students are lucky enough to experience a week that brings us all together once again for nights filled with bar expenses, cheap alcohol, and some questionable decision-making. Syllabus Week is finally here and for most it’s a time to catch up with friends and reignite a social life that went dormant during break.

Now, Syllabus Week is mainly fun and games, but it’s still important to go to classes. It requires careful balance and preparation. Luckily for all you fine folks, we have the key to the guide for your syllabus week. Here’s your 2015 Spring Semester Syllabus Week Survival Guide:

Go to Class

Yes, sitting in an abnormally large lecture hall listening to a professor go over a syllabus bullet point by bullet point is clearly not enjoyable and may seem unnecessary. However, it’s still important to meet your professor and classmates. Who knows, you may find yourself sitting next to your roommate if you two haven’t already crosschecked your schedules, which you probably haven’t.

Nonetheless, obtaining a syllabus is imperative if you really want to get the most out of your Syllabus Week as you’re now able to see how many classes you can truly skip with the least amount of ramifications.

Read and Reread Your Syllabi

Odds are that some professor handed out a pop quiz today to some poor engineering students. Regardless of your major, it’s unlikely that you may meet this same fate, but still not a complete impossibility. Read every syllabi you have and make sure there isn’t a small quiz coming up or a one-page essay due in your next English 015 class.

Missing an assignment in the first week may put you behind in your course, leaving you to play catch-up for the next couple of weeks. If you are unfortunate enough to have a fairly large assignment due this week, maybe it’s a good opportunity to give your liver a break from the constant torment and get it done, at which point you may then begin to drink.

Celebrate The New Semester Like It’s New Years

If a professor hands you a syllabus and immediately tells you to leave, then head to the bar or beer distributor and don’t look back. You should run faster than Charlie did when he found out that he got the last golden ticket. Sure, classes are a priority, but then again it is Syllabus Week. Chances are you don’t have any projects due or exams quickly approaching.

Since you probably haven’t seen your cronies in three weeks, make an effort to catch up and bring yourselves to the social glory you left behind before Finals Week consumed your life.

Save Your Money

In between the holidays, you probably squeezed in as many work hours as possible to maximize your spring semester spending power. Operating on a fixed income is tough as is, but with the accessible happy hours and drink specials, it’s easy for one to quickly lose track of spending. Granted, nights when you spend over $50 at the bar leave lasting memories, but calling home after two weeks because you’re now broke will quickly leave you in regret.

We’re not financial planners here at Onward State, but most would suggest that closing an $80 tab at the Phyrst after one night is not stable. Of course, buy cheap booze and save for the long semester that is finally here.

Plan For The Weekend

Given the upcoming holiday that leads to the long weekend, the end of Syllabus Week has unmatched potential. With the amount of excitement that’s been surrounding campus all week, it’s anything and everything students have been looking forward to since Christmas day.

This weekend is not something to throw together last minute. The entire week is filled with drinks and friends, so gathering leads on all the local parties and socials will really help you get the most out of your weekend. If you’re sitting in your apartment Friday afternoon, you may have to go back and reevaluate your Syllabus Week strategy.

Syllabus Week is not a sprint. It’s a marathon that requires endurance, patience, and some planning. However, if you follow this simple guide, odds are you won’t find yourself already behind in your classes, or even worse, broke or party-less.