We’ve all felt it; that feeling that the semester is going to go on until the end of time and that there’s no need to worry about what comes next. Everything is wonderful and there’s no worries; it’s that amazing time between midterms and finals where is feels like all is right with the world. The weather is getting warmer and the sun is calling you to go outside and enjoy it. Whether you’re in a cold or warm climate, all have gone through the stages of the mid-semester slump. Here they are broken down:
Stage 1 – Relaxation
So relaxation usually sets in around the time of Spring Break. You’ve just busted your butt for the first part of the semester and you may have gotten some great grades back, so you’re ready to leave campus and enjoy some much-needed time for yourself. Maybe you go home and see your family and friends, maybe you go on vacation or maybe you just lounge around your apartment binging on the newest Netflix craze. Whatever the case may be, by the end of break you have hit peak relaxation and come back to class refreshed, and hopefully a little tan.
Stage 2 – Laziness
The problem with Spring Break is that it leaves you with no motivation to continue with the workload of the semester. You’ve gotten so used to the lazy days of Spring Break that it’s hard to come back to reality. So you procrastinate on your assignments and try to avoid doing work for as long as possible.
Stage 3 – Just Getting By
Eventually this procrastination transforms into just into doing the bare minimum. Yes you still have things to do, but is it really necessary to do the entire reading? Probably not, so you skip it for the week. What can it really hurt? Skimming is the real way to go anyways.
Stage 4 – Realization
But just getting by can only get you so far. You realize that the end of the semester is coming faster than you think, and it’s time to buck up. It’s a scary time but there’s still hope that with a little effort, things can still get done.
Stage 5 – Stress
The way in which you get things done however, is nothing short of stressful. Since you’ve procrastinated on your assignments, they’ve all piled up. And FINALS, the worst word to a college student, is the beginning of the end. All of a sudden, there’s a mountain of assignments you need to get through, but you see the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s time to break out the coffee and get ready to build your fort in the library.
Stage 6 – Relaxation (again)
After all your assignments are turned in, after the stress has almost completely consumed you, it’s time to finally breathe. Time to enjoy your break, and do it all again next semester.