With the Thanksgiving holiday just a week away, many students are dreaming of turkey and sweet potatoes, time with friends and family, and a welcomed break from school. But students that set aside even a little bit of time to focus on their academics can ensure a solid start when school resumes again. For ideas on how you can keep focused on school this holiday, check out these study tips from Michigan State University for Thanksgiving break:

• Get plenty of rest! This one ties in perfectly with the holiday break, but catching up on much-needed sleep can result in real benefits when it comes to studying and staying on track academically. Want to make this tip even more effective? Try studying right before bed. Studying right before bed is a proven way to help improve knowledge retention.
• Limit your non-productive computer time. Your time in front of your screens should be focused on completing school projects, finishing homework assignments or papers, or other productive activities. If you're not working on school, you should be visiting with friends and family and maximizing your time off.
• Plan ahead. If you know you have a big project to complete, or a test to study for, over the break, be sure to set aside time in advance to dedicate toward your schoolwork. As the old adage goes, failing to plan is planning to fail. With all of the distractions of the holiday, it will be difficult to "find" time to study; but if you designate a specific date or time as study time, it will be much easier to follow through when the time comes to buckle down.

Whatever you do this holiday, we wish you a Thanksgiving overflowing with joy!