We’re finally in the homestretch of the semester, and a blissfully assignment-free summer awaits us a few weeks from now.

It’s Friday, the clock strikes 9 p.m., and your friends storm into your dorm room with a bottle of cheap vodka in one hand and a few shot glasses in the other—it’s time to pregame before a night out. While you watch everyone scream in excitement of getting drunk—or tipsy at the very least—you slowly recoil in your seat, as you wait for the “Oh come on! Have one sip!” Soon, your turn comes and you shake your head “No.” You watch the excitement drop from their faces, feeling instantly cast off as the outlier in the group, the one friend who does not drink.

Spring break passed us in a whirlwind, leaving behind only a slew of unfinished assignments and an annihilated bank balance. While a few sleepless nights at Butler Library may get you back on track for the semester, it can take alternative approaches to budget efficiently while not compromising on the things you love.

With spring break fast approaching, it is finally your time to shine. Can you feel the warm sunlight brushing gently against your skin, leaving behind an Instagram-worthy tan? A colorful beach umbrella above your head and a piña colada in hand, you stare at the ocean waves lightly crashing on the shore. What a perfect college spring break… until you remember you are in New York City.

If the midterm season wasn’t enough to knock the breath out of you, housing registration for the next school year approaches and is sure to be as hectic as ever. But don’t worry, because this is your opportunity to make the most of TheShaft, Spectator’s one-stop shop for all things housing.

Your Google calendar is filled with color-coded boxes and your readings for class take up half of them. There’s a problem set due in 30 minutes that you haven’t started yet, and you’re supposed to do a 50-page class reading that’ll take hours. You know you need to do your readings, but you wonder how you can cut down the time it takes. Does this scenario sound familiar? If so, find a good place to open up that book and follow these steps to trim down your reading time.