Q: Green tea does have some caffeine, but not as much as things like coffee, soda, and energy drinks. If you're feeling the need for an afternoon pick-me-up, opt for a green tea over a coffee or soda. This will keep you going while still reducing your overall intake of caffeine. You can also try switching out coffee for green tea throughout the day. For example, have four cups of green tea instead of four cups of coffee. Once you feel comfortable drinking tea, reduce the amount of tea you consume. Some natural herbs and medicinal mushrooms may help you stay awake. These can usually be bought as supplements at health food stores. You might try: Ginseng Ashwagandha Wild oats seed Rhodiola Holy basil leaf Lion's mane mushroom Caffeine is often a major component in socialization. You may, for example, meet a friend at a coffee house in the afternoon. Look for ways to socialize with others without consuming caffeine.  If you meet your friends at a coffee house, opt for herbal teas, which do not contain caffeine. You can also find places that specialize in herbal tea. Going to a coffee place for tea can be disappointing, as tea-based drinks may not be as flavorful. If a friend wants to meet up at a coffee house, try to find a place that specializes in tea as well. For many people, milky lattes and cappuccinos are a nice indulgence. You may, for example, treat yourself to a pricey latte on the weekends. You can still have these treats on occasion. However, work on altering them to consume less caffeine.  The most obvious way to do this is to order a decaf variety of your go-to coffee shop treat. For the most part, workers should be able to accommodate this request. Many coffee houses can also make "half-caf" beverages, where they use half decaf coffee or espresso with half regular coffee or espresso; this is a great option if you're still cutting back on caffeine. If you can't get a decaf version for whatever reason, see if there are any drinks without added caffeine on the menu. A cup of hot cocoa, for example, can be as satisfying as a latte. Cocoa does contain small amounts of caffeine, but much less than coffee. You can also order a "steamer," which is hot milk mixed with a syrup or sweetener of your choice, like vanilla or honey. If you're a soda drinker, substitute sparkling water for soda. You may find yourself reaching for caffeine in the afternoon. There are other healthier ways to wake your body up, however. Instead of going for a cup of coffee, have something small to eat or take a brief nap.  If you're able, take a nap for about 20 minutes. This will leave you feeling rested and refreshed. However, be sure to set an alarm. Many people end up accidentally napping for over an hour. Try a small energizing snack. Healthy proteins can boost your energy as much as, or even more than, caffeine. Have a small slice of turkey or a cup of nuts instead of reaching for the coffee. Also, avoiding processed carbs at lunch can help reduce afternoon fatigue.
A: Drink green tea. Try herbal supplements for extra energy. Socialize without caffeine. Find substitutes for your favorite caffeinated beverages. Rely on protein or naps to address afternoon fatigue.

Q: Ask yourself a series of questions about how you performed over the semester in order to analyze what went well and what didn’t go so well.  What did you end up doing differently after deciding to raise your grades?  Did any of it work?  How much did your grades improved, if at all?  What did you find worked really well for you, and what did you find worked really badly for you?  Is there anything you’d like to do differently next time? Think about the study methods you took on that really helped and make sure you build them into your permanent repertoire. Think about what didn’t work and why it didn’t work.  Maybe you tried to study at home and found it was more distracting than you’d like, etc.  Make sure to avoid these items in the future. Buy yourself an academic calendar and/or a large wall-mounted white-board calendar.  Clean up the space you intend to use for studying, remove anything you don’t need (books, magazines, comics, etc.) and organize the things you do need (pens, pencils, highlighters, sticky notes, etc.)  Make your study space a distraction-free zone.  Organize your study materials in a way that makes sense to you and allows you to find things quickly.  Have a separate notebook or binder for each class you're taking and label them appropriately. Have pens and highlighters of different colours to signify different things in your notes and textbooks.  For example, blue might mean examples, whereas yellow means definitions. Turn your cell phone or tablet off while studying.  And if you're not using it, turn the wi-fi off on your computer while studying.  Don't give into the temptation to check your email or text messages! If you’re serious about improving your grades, your teachers will help.  Ask them their advice on what to focus on in their class and what methods of studying work best for their material.  Ask them if you can review assignments with them before you hand them in.  Keep track of your teachers’ contact information and office hours in a centralized location.  Each week review where you are in each course and determine if you need to take advantage of your teacher’s office hours, and if you do, schedule it in. When asking for advice, try to avoid saying things like "What's important in your class?" or "What do I need to do to get an A?" These suggest that you aren't actually invested in the class. Instead, ask questions such as "What types of questions do your exams usually focus on? I'd like to know how to improve my note-taking" or "What advice would you give a student who really wants to do well?" Work with friends or classmates, as a group, to learn the material and work on the assignments.  Quiz each other.  Do sample tests together.  Take turns “teaching” each other the material.  It is advantageous, but not necessary, to have some structure to your study group, such as: a pre-determined meeting time and place, specific study session goals, and an informal leader or moderator. Study group members do not need to be your friends.  In fact, it might be better if they weren’t.  Getting together with your friends to study might turn into socialization time, which isn’t helpful. Make sure you always get a good night’s rest.  Eat properly every day.  And exercise as often as you can.  Taking care of yourself physically will help make sure you can take care of yourself mentally. Taking care of yourself also means taking breaks when studying, like getting up and walking around every hour, and rewarding yourself for meeting your study goals. Tutors can be folks you’ve hired to spend time working with you on a specific subject, but it can also include your school’s success centres. Most post-secondary institutions have tutoring centres (manned by graduate students), writing centres (that offer both seminars and feedback on actual papers), and success centres (where professionals can provide you guidance and feedback).  Some of this extra help is free, while some has a cost associated with it. If you’re interested in hiring a tutor, ask your teacher for recommendations.  They’ll know which former students did well in their class and who might be able to help you.
A:
Complete a post-semester assessment. Get yourself organized. Talk to your teacher(s) in advance. Join or start a study group. Take care of yourself physically. Get a tutor.