I KNOW school is the last thing any of us want to be thinking about.

The holidays have reached that quiet period where no-one has plans and everyone is quite content to float aimlessly, perhaps wandering down to the park wearing whatever you want because-hey! It’s the holidays, and no-one can tell you what to do, what to wear or what time to get up.

But next week, we’ll be back at our prestigious centres of learning- back to waking up and panicking because you haven’t remembered to turn on your curlers/ straighteners an hour before you need them, thus resulting in questionable hair.

So not the look you were going for to start the new term.

Back to ill-fitting, starchy blouses that won’t button right and leave you wondering whether you’ve actually grabbed a hair shirt from the nearest monastery instead. Back to hurried toast and the scrabble for that last good biro.

Back to the glorious morning medley of alarms, TVs and radios that signify a new term and a fresh start.

But to those desperate to avoid all this, I have some advice.

Set your alarm for a realistic time and refrain from throwing/smashing/eating it as it belts out what will soon become your least favourite song in the world.

In fact, move it to the other side of your room so you will be forced (in theory) to get up and turn it off.

Make sure all of last year’s books are neat and updated and ready to refer to at a moment’s notice.

Clear out any lingering food, notes or forgotten homework sheets from last year and start afresh. If you’re starting a new school, why not treat yourself to a new bag?

Or better yet, beg/blackmail/threaten your parents into treating you with a new bag (and possibly some other essentials, e.g. brand trainers, a comedy onesie, that new, orphaned iPhone that’s been begging you to take it home for weeks…) Finally, keep up a good work ethic and tell yourself that this WILL be the year that you pay attention in Chemistry, turn all your maths homework in on time and be spared the wrath of the librarian by returning your books.

And remember- if it doesn’t turn out quite the way you expected, it won’t be long before the weekend.