Rory Gilmore is an iconic figure for academics (along with her intellectual doppelgänger, Hermione Granger). Rory was the second protagonist in the show Gilmore Girls, an awkward and ambitious teen with the weight of her family's dreams on her shoulders. She began attending Chilton Preparatory School in StartsHollow, and soon blossoms as an intellectual, star student (and future Yale graduate) after she receives her first-ever D, which inspires her to get more serious.

Rory shows us that anyone can pursue their dreams if they are determined and passionate. Here, I've collected non-basic tips on how to be like her this year, featuring study tips, inspiration, and everything you need to do to become an academic weapon.

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Develop Clear Short-term Goals

Let's think; the dream to "get into Harvard" is very overwhelming, but "running for leader of my civics club next election" isn't too hard, as it would guide you to start making a campaign plan and get more involved, whereas "get into Harvard" would just paralyze you. Clear goals will guide your path; you can't see where you're going without road markers, can you? Also, breaking up these things into months or semesters can help make it less overwhelming.

For now, I've picked my classes, and in a month, I will apply to the Honors Society and join a club. Short-term goals can be as simple as that—and they should be!

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Visit Your Advisor or Counselor Regularly

Having someone to guide you through your goals is crucial. If you were to share your college aspirations, then your advisor can help you pick the best classes for your dreams. Building a relationship with your advisor will help with recommendation letters, as they see firsthand how good of a fit you are for what colleges and classes.

I'll be sharing my goals with my advisor. For example, I want to join the honors society and be very active in the writing organization. I'll share this with her so she can get a feel for my aspirations and goals, which will help her guide me when I ask her to.

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Have a Plan

If you even have the vaguest idea of what to do after high school--write it down! Goals aren't limited to people with clear futures.

As of now, I have a pretty in-depth plan; I'll go to community college for an accounting degree, then I'll use that to get a stable job, while pursuing my arts and writing degree. I also know that I want to get into a prestigious school, so I'll be doing a lot of connection building and extracurriculars while at CC. This plan seems bland, but it took a long time to get to this level of clarity.

Take your time and remember, you can always switch plans.

Write down what colleges interest you and what careers you might choose. Is there something all of these have in common? Think hard, and once you find that common thing, get involved in that thing at your school, whether it's joining a club or class, or starting your own!

Create a Schedule

In Gilmore Girls, Rory finishes all her homework by Friday so she can spend Saturday doing extra credit. While you may want to keep your weekends a sanctuary, it's good inspo for a schedule. Having "working hours" in which you do your studying, homework, and school hours (much like a 9-5) will help you maintain a school-life balance.

You don't want your studies to leak into your relaxation time and vice versa, as that could cause you to slack on school or not be able to relax. You can't be valedictorian if your life is in shambles!

Do All The Extra Credit

Doing all the extra credit will prove that you are dedicated to education, which colleges love! Rory dedicated her Saturdays to extra credit, and it paid off for her. I recommend designating 1-2 days per week for extra credit. If you have a relationship with your teachers, then they may be willing to give you the extra credit before it's assigned.

Be Well Read

Rory reads a lot. Not just school textbooks; she reads for fun and pleasure, which is arguably the most important thing we can learn from her. We need to have fun as well and focus on our studies.

Start a Club

Starting a club may not be easy, but it is the fastest way to get noticed by important educational figures and facilities. Your club doesn't have to align with your future career or goals; it can just be something you enjoy or deem important. For instance, I want to be a writer, but I plan on starting a civics club where we'll raise money for cancer research.

Are the two things in common? Not really, but it's something important to me.

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Don't Let Your Life Revolve Around School or Your Peers

Originally, I had 2 articles I was working on at the same time, so that I could mention them in this article. I was working day and night, surrounding myself in school tips and college exams, and what tiers certain extracurriculars are; I wanted them to be as in-depth and detailed as possible. I spent my nights researching opportunities for teens and documenting their every rule.

It was my daily job, and...it sucked. I start college in a couple days, and I've spent my time preparing everyone else for college, to the point that I forgot about myself. Sure, the research was helpful, but learning for myself should have been at the forefront of my mind—not my articles.

I wanted to be an overachiever, but it sucks sometimes. You, and by you I mean we, need to pace ourselves. You can't be a master article writer and honor roll college student and prepared for college all at the same time.

The progress on my articles started to suck, I haven't gotten my room ready for college, I got bored of topics so fast, and instead of being the overachiever I wanted to prove myself to be, I was a complete flop. A part of me is disappointed this won't be the holy grail article for students that I wanted it to be, but maybe that's the point. The point isn't that I'm incapable of achieving impressive feats, but that I pushed myself too much, too fast. I went from 1 - 0, no college and beginner articles, to 4 new classes and 3 articles (that I wanted to be the holy grail of all student articles) at once.

My articles, Literary Competitions and Opportunities—Free and For Teens, and How to Use High School and Community College to Your Advantage, will be posted in 2 weeks at their designated time, when I know I can handle it and write them well.

In season 1, Rory stays up all night studying and wakes up late, still at her kitchen table. She rushes to school, only to get hit by a deer and miss her test. This causes her to flip out due to stress and lack of sleep, threatening her position at Chilton, yet I didn't learn from watching that.

At the end of the day, it's important to pace yourself and have priorities; you can't have everything at once. Make a schedule, plan ahead, and take it easy.