Delaney Hibbits
Arts and Entertainment Editor
College breaks are like dreams. You close your eyes the first night back home, and almost instantly, you must start packing your clothes up because classes start in two days. Everyone knows how difficult it is to return after so much time off. Routines fall apart, motivation dwindles, and sitting through 50-minute classes sounds impossible. However, every student experiences some struggle when returning so understand no one is alone during this adjustment.
After coming back from break, everyone finds some aspects to be more strenuous than others. For example, junior Calla Sandt explains how “It’s hard getting back into routine, and it definitely feels like immediate burnout when the second classes start back up. I’m drained and I haven’t even taken an exam yet.”
She believes having the motivation to go to class and getting back into a routine are two of the hardest parts of starting a new semester. After spending a month sleeping in and not studying, walking to Stroud can seem incredibly tedious and unnecessary.
To help with a lack of motivation, students can try to set and achieve new goals, surround themselves with a helpful support system, and remember to breathe. College can be tough, burnout can be destructive, and motivation can be tiring to hold onto so give yourself time to catch up.
Other students are having different experiences when it comes to the start of the semester. Some struggle with time management and making friends. Sophomores Kylee Rogers and Kellie Boyle agree that going to class and purchasing textbooks prevent them from having a strong start at the beginning of the semester. On the other hand, they also share the same opinion about how it takes around two weeks to overcome these obstacles and improve.
Within these two weeks, students can develop habits and routines that carry them through the next 13 weeks. This can include going to the gym, joining an organization, painting, or walking the numerous trails around campus. Being around friends and participating in loved hobbies takes away the stress of writing an essay and making flashcards.
Even though many students struggle to form a routine, others thrive when returning to campus for this very reason. Sophomore Courtney Donnerstag admits the easiest part of a new semester is “Definitely having a routine again… I’m a creature of habit.” The ritual of waking up, getting ready, going to class, working, and going home is comfortable. Being able to rely on this system can bring peace to any student who needs boundaries.
The first few weeks of a new semester can be the highest of highs or the lowest of lows. Some students feel as if they are constantly tripping on close deadlines and rubrics while others are floating on cloud-9 waiting for everyone else to catch up. It’s a constant tug-o-war of staying in bed and driving to the closest commuter lot.
Between five classes, work and numerous outside activities, the first month of the semester may seem impossible. However, with the right attitude and priorities, any student can make this semester their best.
If you are like Calla and struggle with starting up a routine, spend some time writing it down in a journal. Make a to-do list and check off the boxes as you go. Within days, your routine is going to become like muscle memory.
If you are more like Kylee and Kellie, make time for yourself. Whether it is playing basketball, watching movies with friends, or catching some dinner at Olive Garden, focusing on your mind and body is going to help push you through the semester.
Finally, if you are like Courtney, do what keeps you in line. Some people hate routine while others need it to feel in control. What works for your best friend may not work for you, and that is entirely okay.
Semester struggles are real and every student has some kind of negative experience when returning from break. The first month is always the hardest but it will be over before you know it. So, take a deep breath, relax and have a fantastic spring semester!
