Winter break is now two weeks behind us and some of you might still be finding it difficult to get back into the study groove. For those of you taking the SAT in a couple of weeks, this lack of motivation has the potential to be a real problem. So how do you jump start your SAT prep routine? Here are some ideas that might help.

Remember, it's a new month, a new year and a new decade. You've got a clean slate. All of your frustrations, anxieties, confusions and mistakes about the SAT are a thing of the past. You don't have to make a new year's resolution to study well—just start doing it on a daily basis. Study for 30 minutes each day to get yourself into a good habit. You'll see much better results in a short time. Once you feel comfortable with 30 minutes, you can try for longer study sessions every other day. After a while, you won't have to give yourself a pep talk before every session; it will become one of those things you do without thinking about it, like watching TV.

Nothing is more fun in high school than hitting the open road with your besties. You're Thelma and Louise, Smokey and the Bandit, Britney and that girl from Hustle and Flow. It doesn't matter where you're going; the fun is in getting there, even if you're just driving to Walmart to pick up some paper towels for your mom.

Some people are good at riding shotgun. Others make you want to open the door while the car is still moving, jump, and roll into oncoming traffic. Here's how to be that person:

It happens to the best of us: You’ve got a paper due in 9 hours, a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel to finish, or a grade-making presentation to write, and the only thing you can manage to type is your name. Is it because you’re a huge procrastinator? A sinkhole of productivity? A vacuum of originality? Probably. But it could also be due to Writer’s Block, a condition that tends to strike when we can least afford it, and a condition that we at SparkNotes are all too familiar with. We’ve devised a few tricks to light some sparks of inspiration in a blank mind. When you can’t think of a single thing to write, try this:

Sparkler abby0912 seems to be well-versed in dealing with awkwardness. Kinda makes us wonder what awkward moments inspired her to become such an expert! —SparkNotes editors

When awkward situations occur, what should you do?:
A)   Laugh it off
B)  Do the “awkward turtle”
C)   Run away
D)  Change the subject

If you answered D, congratulations, you are sensible.

Changing the subject is perfect in almost all situations since it allows you to recover from whatever embarrassing setback you just encountered. Whether it be falling, saying the wrong thing, having some bodily function occur at the wrong time, etc., changing the subject will be a perfect way to survive. Here are some ways to do it:

Fact: The easiest, greasiest, happiest homemade lunch is the grilled cheese sandwich.

If you're not sure how to turn on a stove, and everything you put in the microwave gets burned, try the following. And don't think of this as a stodgy old recipe. Think of it as Secret Instructions for Better Munching:

(1) Find two pieces of bread. Not white bread. You're too old for white bread. Something wheatier. Ryer. Something with body to it, and maybe little seeds baked in. Now that's bread.

If you've ever wondered about the science of flirting, you're not alone. That's why Auntie SparkNotes is spending the next few days telling you how to do it. Ready? Let's go!

Good afternoon, flirters!

(You: Good afternoon, Auntie SparkNotes!)

We hope if we get on MarauderPrincess's good side, she'll send us some electric blue toe socks with kittens on them (please?). -SparkNotes editors

There are dog people, cat people, hamster people, and even platypus people.

And then there are sock people.

Sock people are generally defined as "people who keep socks for pets." Just kidding. Seriously though, sock people are very devoted to what they do. And that is obsess over socks.

If you're like me, then you have quite a large, healthy collection of socks of every color. Striped socks, polka-dotted socks, toe socks, and even (gasp!) the occasional solid white sock. Some of us wear them in nice, neat, tidy pairs, while others, well, go crazy with mismatching! Do you qualify as a sock person? Read on to find out...

The Normal Person (5-10 pairs of white socks)

If you've ever wondered how to flirt, you're not alone. That's why Auntie SparkNotes has set out to create a series of posts in response to such questions as:

How do I initiate contact with somebody if I'm not sure what common ground we have?

How do I make boys realize that I'm interested?

No one has ever given me a handbook of how to flirt, and to be honest I have no idea how to! I'm just so confused.

Let the flirtation begin!

We love that AllisonJY decided to use her less-than-pleasant past experience to help other Sparklers. Great tips! —SparkNotes editors

Life can feel great when you have a celebrity crush. After all, sometimes you just need someone who represents your idea of perfection to give you a sense of hope. But what do you do when a celeb crush gets overboard and threatens to consume you? What do you do when the slightest bit of news about him or her drives you to the brink of insanity?

Here are some tips I have on dealing with this problem:

Around here (and by “here,” I mean “the secret underground lair of Auntie SparkNotes”), flirting is a frequent topic of conversation. Every week, I spend time instructing you guys on when, why, and with whom to flirt. And you know what? I totally missed something. From recent letters:

How do I initiate contact with somebody if I'm not sure what common ground we have?

How do I make boys realize that I'm interested?

No one has ever given me a handbook of how to flirt, and to be honest I have no idea how to! I'm just so confused.