With the start of the semester, we look forward to the fresh beginning of new classes. Our pencils are sharpened, our book bags are packed and our minds are insatiable for new knowledge.

Well, close enough.

From time to time, we do things to make it hard for our brains to efficiently absorb all the glorious information we are being taught. Here is a survival guide to achieve maximum brainpower.

This may be a no brainer, but eat. When you are hungry, you lose your ability to fully concentrate. This is especially pertinent when taking a test, because with an empty stomach, the answer to every question soon becomes hamburger. Studies have shown that missing meals can cause academic performance to be affected.

Primarily, breakfast is the meal most often scrutinized when dealing with brainpower potential. Skipping breakfast can result in a lowered ability to concentrate and a shortened attention span in class. As if listening to your professor lecture about the social exchange theory wasn't bad enough.

In addition, sometimes what you eat can be just as bad as not eating. I realize all the followers of the carbohydrate-free diets may disagree, but it is important for your body to consume some carbohydrate. Glucose, a breakdown product of carbohydrates, is the brain's main source of fuel. In fact, it is your brain and nerve cells that gobble up over two-thirds of the amount of glucose used by the body each day.

What happens when glucose doesn't appear? After glycogen stores are depleted, protein becomes sacrificed to make glucose. It's unfortunate that the muscle you build pumping iron in the gym can be affected, but it's your body's way of saying brains over brawn.

In addition, fat cannot be converted to glucose. Fat gets converted to ketone bodies as it is broken down in the body. The brain can use some of these ketones to help keep it active. However, it is important to realize that ketone bodies are not as effective sources as glucose for brainpower fuel. In addition, there are certain areas of the brain that rely solely on glucose.

By the same token, there are some nutrients that you should be eating to get the most out of your mind because certain nutrients affect the brain's ability to activate communication of brain cells. Deficiencies in folate, thiamin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and vitamin C can result in a reduction of mental capabilities. For instance, vitamin B12 and vitamin C deficiencies may affect short-term memory loss and problem solving abilities. In comparison, a vitamin B6 deficiency may contribute to brain tissue degeneration.

These vitamins can be found in many fruits and vegetables, the exception being vitamin B12, which is found solely in animal products. By consuming hearty helpings of foods such as bananas, sweet potatoes, spinach, broccoli, orange juice and blueberries, you get a good amount of brain-friendly vitamins. In addition, iron and zinc, found in meat products and vegetables, help to support healthy brain function.

There you have it, though you probably knew it all along. A well-balanced diet may give you that added edge you've been needing to achieve a 4.0. And surprisingly, skipping breakfast and bread does not a focused mind make. So go ahead, e-mail your professors and tell them you'll be the one in the front row with the big brain teeming with mental capabilities.