It’s time to let summer go. Sorry everyone, but the party’s over, and now it’s time for school. Which means we have to get into that dreaded school mentality. We have to start doing our homework at home. We have to be prepared for class. We have to not pass out every period.

I know some of us are having some problems with this. I know because I am having said problems, and I refuse to believe that I’m alone. So, forget everything that happened this summer, because it doesn’t matter anymore now that the school year’s started. Unless, of course, you took summer school. Remember what you learned there.

Now, what I’m about to say here is going to sound a little strange. Especially if you read everything I wrote before this paragraph.

Get out of that school mentality. Stop stressing out constantly. I know you’ve been told this a million times before. I know the people who wrote this column before me told you this a million times. But I still think you need to hear it, oh, at least three more times. Stop stressing out.  Stop stressing out. Stop stressing out.

I know it’s not as simple as pushing a button. I know you’re all sitting in advisory right now screaming “Max, I don’t know how to not stress out! Help!” And you clearly need the help, because you’re screaming at a newspaper in school. You look crazy, and everybody is looking at you, and everybody is laughing at you, and everybody is judging you. And now you’re even more stressed out. So let me help you.

Over the summer (and yes I know I just told you to forget your summer, shut up and let me talk), I met a man named Billy Jonas. Now, I’m not religious, yet I’m incredibly tempted to call this man a prophet. Let me put it this way: if Billy Jonas started a cult, I’d be the first person to  sign up. And Billy, he said something that has really stuck with me. He said that the most important part of his week is when he’s not working. It’s when he’s by himself, relaxing. He said that everyone needs time like this in order to survive.

So what I need you to do is relax. Every day. Set aside one hour, every day, for yourself. A time for you, and you only, to relax. This doesn’t mean you should go on Facebook and start chatting people up, or go on your phone and start texting people. I want you to be alone, with zero communication with the outside world. I want you to use this time to write, or draw, or relax, or listen to music, or do anything that absolutely does not require any sort of communication for you to enjoy. I want  your “you time” to be you time.

So remember that you are in school, and that you need to focus, and be prepared, and not screw around because your grades depend on it. But also remember that you’re a person, who needs to relax and enjoy life, because your life depends on that too. And remember that you shouldn’t take everything the newspaper tells you literally, because it’ll often contradict itself in the same article. So take a deep breath, close your eyes, and relax.