January marks the start of a new semester filled with opportunities to get a fresh start. We’re all become so tired of being stuck at home, missing our roommates and wishing we could be back in State College that we actually look forward to starting classes again.
“Sylly Week” flies by before we know it, but things are still light. You’re joining new clubs left and right, your lectures still seem low-pressure and college is finally exciting again. Even so, it usually doesn’t take long before our responsibilities start weighing on us and things get hard.
The “new semester” motivation starts wearing off, spring break feels impossibly far away and the grey skies seem to be never-ending. February isn’t loud about how difficult it is — it sneaks up on us. February poses the question of whether we’ll stay actively engaged or let the semester’s weeks blur together.
In the first few weeks of the semester, our spirits are high and we’re rested from break, ready to stay ahead on our readings and weekly discussion posts. By mid-February, that energy seems to quietly disappear without a warning.
Classes start moving faster, assignments keep piling up on Canvas and the effort to get to class in single-degree weather feels all the heavier. All the habits we started implementing early on slip away, exposing our weak spots and leaving us feeling a bit more disheveled.
Mid-terms start rolling around before we know it, packing themselves all into the same one-week span. The warm-up period is over, professors start expecting us to know the material and grades begin to matter in a more real way.
This is usually the time when we start panicking, realizing we’re not studying hard enough and haven’t attended nearly enough office hours. February is one of those months that makes us realize we can’t keep gliding by in our classes, and we need to adapt to continue excelling.
Even though we’re only about one-third into the semester, burnout waits for no one. It’s not just an end-of-semester issue anymore, and the style it arrives in during this time of year can be brutal. We’re tired, unmotivated and months away from finals. Our mental exhaustion catches up with us, forcing us to acknowledge when we need to rest and reset.
Alongside any academic struggles, our social lives often have an energy shift as well. It becomes easier to fall into the routine of waking up, walking to class and going straight home after. This is where our efforts matter the most — we start realizing the importance of making plans and putting in conscious effort to see our friends.
Sending off a text to your friends asking them over for a movie night or to get lunch in between classes can be a major help in getting your spirits up. Even when we don’t realize it, our friends are often the key to feeling better. They can help lift some of the burdens we carry with us and make us laugh, reminding us why we love college.
Surviving February’s challenges isn’t about being perfect and knowing how to do it all just right. It’s about resilience and learning how to push through a semester when things aren’t as easy any more.
To get through this speed-bump of a month, I strive to actively do things that I know will help my mental health and make each day a little better. I treat myself a few times a week with Dunkin’ or a sweet dessert, giving myself something to look forward to.
I set aside an hour or two to de-stress every day, whether that be through watching a comfort TV show, talking on the phone with my mom or coloring for a while. Working hard to help myself get through it all helps immensely, and allows me to stay on track with my success.
Once we make it through February, the rest of the semester feels a little more manageable. We’ve learned how to make it through the rough times and know how to keep going despite it all. From here on out, the days will get longer, the weather will get sunnier and we’ll keep getting one day closer to the warmth of summer.
If you’re struggling to find motivation in this winter cold, know that you’re not failing; You’re just in February, and you’ll make it through.