You’ve pretty much got your school routine down pat by now -- so why are you still feeling so rushed in the a.m.? Even if you can brush your teeth and get dressed with your eyes closed, you can use these tips. Here’s our get-ready map to nix the last-minute scramble:

The Night Before

• Breakfast, check!
  Figure out your morning meal ahead of time and have everything you’ll need to prepare it handy. If you’re thinking cereal or oatmeal, grab the box out of the cupboard and place it on the kitchen counter alongside a bowl and spoon.

• Lunch, check!
  Packing? Make sammies, grab juices and portion out snacks in the evening. Stick them in your lunch bag and stow it in the fridge for a fast grab in the morning. Need lunch money? Ask your mom and dad for it beforehand and tuck it into your book bag.

• Outfit, check!
  Pick out your next-day school clothes before you hit the hay. Don’t forget to include outerwear, accessories and shoes. Neatly set them out or hang them up together for easy access. Even if you wear a school uniform, be sure you have matching socks and clean underwear.

• Book bag, check!
  Finished your homework? Grab all your books, papers, binders and pencils and zip ’em up in your backpack. Need any signatures from your parents? Get it done now! And if you play an after-school sport, pack all your equipment in your duffel.

• Shower, check!
  Get an extra 10 to 15 minutes of sleep by taking your shower at night.

The Morning Of

•   Wash up, check!
  Brush your teeth and wash your face, being sure to keep your beauty routine simple. A great product that offers light coverage and moisturizes in one fast go is tinted moisturizer. Another time-saving pick? Cream blush, which can be applied to both cheeks and lips to give your face just a hint of color. If you wear mascara, just go with one coat on your lashes. Finish it all off with a swipe of lip gloss to your pucker, and you’re all set!

• Hair, check!
  Stocking up on hair accessories like headbands, hair clips and scarves is a simple, fast and fab way to tame your mane in the morning. For more tips on hair how-tos, check out our sidebar below.

Some pretty far-out things can happen after your head hits the pillow at night, right? Dreams can be magical, mysterious and at times even terrifying. But fear not: It’s just your subconscious mind trying to gab with you. We’ll help you get a clue.

Keep a Dream Diary
The only way to decipher what your dreams are trying to tell you is to remember them -- and that can be a toughie. So keep a journal and pen handy by your bed, then tell yourself before you go to sleep, “Don’t forget your dreams tonight.” As soon as your eyes pop open in the a.m. -- before you brush your teeth -- jot down anything you can recall: people, places, events, objects … whatever.

Let Your Dream Tell a Story
Grace, 15, recently had a dream in which she locked herself in a bathroom stall at school and wouldn’t come out. All of her classmates piled into the girls’ restroom, carrying on like circus performers. There were clowns, lion tamers, monkeys -- way more activity than could ever actually take place in that small space. Grace, in her dream, was on her cell phone trying to call her mom, but there was no answer.

Crack the Dream Code
So what did Grace’s dream mean? After journaling about it and giving it some thought, Grace figured it out. She’d recently been at the center of a nasty rumor, and the dream reflected her feelings about that. She’d felt trapped (locked in) by all the commotion (circus) the gossip had created, and she felt helpless (unable to get through on her cell). If you’re having trouble understanding what the elements of your dream represent, you can check a dream dictionary -- but first look for any personal meaning related to what’s going on in your life.

Dream up a Solution
The next night, before going to bed, Grace wrote in her diary, “I want to have a dream that helps me deal with this gossip situation.” Here’s what happened: This time in her dream, Grace was the star of the circus, but there was no audience. She was swinging on a flying trapeze while holding scissors -- with her toes. She soared back and forth, then did a theatrical triple-flip, clipping the cords to the trapeze swing as she did so. In that moment, the scissors disintegrated and her feet grew wings. She flew clear through the top of the circus tent and into the sky.

Find Freedom in Your Dreams
Grace found her peace inside this dream. She owned her power and decided to cut off any and all attention to the gossip that was going on around her at school. And guess what? Poof! The rumors quickly disappeared. So you see? Dreams can create real-life happy endings when you know how to read them.

So, we’ve all learned that gossiping is a total no-no. And if you’ve ever been on the not-so-nice side of the whispers and murmurs, you know how hurtful gossiping can be. But let’s be real -- it’s often just too hard to resist taking part in the “ooh’s” and “aah’s” of the rumor mill.

We hear ya, girl, loud and clear! Turns out, a lot of experts actually agree that taking the time to have some fun with a bit of banter can be great for easing stress and upping social skills. Yay! Not all gossip has to be negative. Here are the three times it’s OK to repeat the juicy deets. Under any other circumstances, keep your lips sealed!

Friendly Warning
Gossip can, at times, be used to help a friend or dole out some sincere advice to another person. For example: Is your bestie crushing on a bad boy whose rep is less than desirable? Remember, gossip can be deceiving, so you should def give the guy a chance. Get to know him one-on-one before forming an opinion. (Remember how everyone misjudged Jesse in Prom?) But if you have firsthand knowledge that a friend could be getting involved in a sticky situation, speak up!

Permission Slip
If you get a nod directly from the source to leak her biz to the masses, feel free to telecast her tidings. Say, for example, a girl in your crew wants you to publicly announce she’s got a date with the hottest guy in your neighborhood, or that she landed a spot on the summer cheer squad. There’s no foul play in dishing out the scoop. If there’s ever a moment when a friend wants to boast a bit about the happenings in her life via the grapevine, spread the word!

Celeb Chatter
Sometimes, joining in on the gab session can just be a bit of fun chit-chat to deliver the latest in entertainment news. Was there a sighting of your fave teen celebrity canoodling with another celeb? Did you hear that two on-screen divas are totally real-life frenemies? Go on and share the hot-off-the-press reports.

Believe it or not, the school year is already starting to wind down -- and you wanna go out with a bang. Take a few positive risks and they could set you up for one phenomenal summer vacation (and maybe an even better start to next fall).

Talk to Your Crush
You’ve been admiring the cutie in math class all year, and he’s seriously disrupted your ability to understand linear equations. Even if you’re ultra-shy around this guy, take tiny steps to make your presence known. This can be as simple as borrowing a pencil or asking him if he had any trouble with last night’s homework. If you can’t full-on break the ice, at least start chiseling away at it -- you’ll get there!

Salvage a Bad Grade
An awesome score on a final exam can really pull a grade up, so don’t head into finals with only a vague idea of the subject matter. Teachers are happy to give you guidance, so ask for help. It may mean putting in a little extra time in the morning before school starts or after the final bell rings, but that mark on your report card will be worth the effort.

Stand up to the Mean Girl
Don’t wage an all-out war on the gal who’s been making your life difficult, but it’s time to step up. Next time this girl makes a snide comment, look her directly in the eye and confidently flash a smile. This will let her know that you aren’t intimidated by her -- and you’ll feel stronger for taking solid-but-subtle action.

Ask an Embarrassing Question
Personal questions about your changing body may make you blush, but if you have some concerns about your period or anything else that seems a bit different, make an appointment with your school nurse and put it all out there. You’ll feel 10 times better once you have an intimate Q answered.

Make a New Friend
Invite a casual acquaintance from class to go to the mall or just hang out at your house one afternoon. You chat in between classes, so why not take your friendship outside of school? Adding a new pal to your crew could open up lots of possibilities for the summer break, and by the time school resumes in the fall, you two might be super tight!

Earth Day is almost here! (It’s on April 22.) Want to show the planet some lovin'? We’ve come up with things you can reuse in cool ways instead of sending them off to hang out in a landfill. Who knew being green could be so much fun?

Adorable Jewelry Organizer

All you need for a bling holder you’ll love? An old frame, liquid glue, pushpins and some cork sheets (get these for cheap at a craft store). Just take the glass and back off the frame, cut the cork so it’s the same size as a photo that would fit in the frame, and glue it in place in the opening. Once it’s dry, stick colorful pushpins in the front to hang your jewelry on. We love the way the finished product looks hanging on the wall -- and you’ll never need to hunt for an earring again!

Wacky Wire Ring

Betcha didn’t know you could make something this cool out of boring old paper clips! Grab a bunch of the colorful ones -- stick with your favorite hue or mix up a bunch if you’re feeling really artsy. Unfold them so each one is straight, then reshape them into a swirling pattern, bending each clip around the clump of paper clips as you go. Once you’ve made the bauble as big as you want, attach one more paper clip to the back and shape it into a ring so it fits your finger.

Crazy-cute Locker Magnets

These are about to become your new favorite locker accessory. Collect a few bottle caps from old-fashioned glass bottles, fill them with liquid glue, and then pour in some glitter. Once they’re dry, stick a magnet on the back -- either use self-adhesive magnets from the craft store or cut off a piece from a magnet sheet and attach it with a dab of glue. Love it!

Personalized Journal

Does anyone else have a serious hoarding problem when it comes to old greeting cards? We feel guilty throwing them out, but they’re not exactly doing any good just taking up space in your junk drawer. Get some use out of ’em by turning them into notebook covers. Here’s how: Open up a card, and then trace the outline onto 10 sheets of paper. Cut along the guidelines, staple the pages to the card at its crease, then fold everything together. Now get writing!

Chic Vases

Keep an eye out for any pretty jars or bottles in the pantry that are almost empty. Before Mom throws them away, ask if you can have them instead. Rinse them out, stick a flower or two inside, and you’ve got an instant set of bud vases! Display a few grouped together for a pretty effect.