When you’re heading into your first semester at college, you’re most likely thinking about how far your dorm is from the dining hall, whether to go with the hot pink or more neutral bed comforter, and if you’ll get along with your randomly assigned roommate. What you’re not thinking of is how the score on your first exam is going to affect your GPA that first semester.

The excitement of going to college can sometimes cloud the reason why you’re actually going – to get an education so you can land a great job. And getting ready for class doesn’t start when you step foot on campus: It starts during the summer.

Summertime is a tricky time for students. You want to relax, but you also need to make sure you keep your mind sharp for the upcoming school year. Here are a few things you can do to combat summer brain drain and make sure you walk into class ready to go.

YouTube EDU. During the summer, viral videos get special amounts of attention because we’re online more than usual – so why not stay on YouTube, but use it in a way that’s going to get you ready for those first weeks of class?

YouTube has tons of educational content. You can choose the University page, filter by subject, and refresh your brain on any number of topics: art, law, engineering, social sciences, business, history, languages – you name it.

You don’t need to be in a classroom to fight summer brain drain, but you do need an Internet connection. Since you spend so much time online, it helps to have the fastest Internet possible – like a fiber optic connection. Ensure you can get online anytime you want with your internet provider, and keep your mind sharp all summer.

Twitter.  Sure, Twitter is where your friend’s post videos, you post pictures of your vacation – but it’s also one of the best places to catch breaking news. Keeping up on current events is a way to keep your brain sharp – you find out what’s going on in the worlds of  technology, politics, pop culture, and just about everything else.

Read. Once the school year starts, so does required reading. Pick up a book you’ve been meaning to read but haven’t—this may be the last time you have the time to read what you want for a few months. Plus, it will get you into the habit of reading everyday—which will come in handy once your coursework begins.

Start a blog. While reading is important, why not write some stuff too? You most likely email friends and family and send out 140-character tweets every day, so why not broaden your portfolio and start a blog? It’ll keep your writing skills fresh and help to keep your grammar and spelling tight while not inside an English classroom. Check out WordPress and Blogger for some easy blogging templates to begin with.

Guest blogger – Rose Williams is a freelance technology writer with a focus on how the Internet improves our lives, from access to quality education and information to forging new social connections. She holds a B.A. in Technical Communications and is currently working toward an MBA. You can contact Rose directly via twitter or directly via email.