Everyone talks about how brutal midterms are. Everyone, of course, talks about finals. But no one really warns you about this part, the weird, quiet burnout that hits somewhere between Thanksgiving break and the last day of class. You’re not quite done, but you’re definitely not thriving. Everyone’s tired. Everything feels a little off. And the end-of-semester energy? It’s weirdly strange. Here’s what no one really tells you.
Everything gets weirdly quiet. The group chats go silent. People stop showing up to class. Campus starts to feel like a ghost town, and suddenly, you’re not sure if it’s just the weather or if everyone’s actually falling apart at the same time. Eventually, you may even start caring less and then suddenly feel guilty about it. At some point, your brain checks out. You go from color-coded calendars to “vibes-based survival.” But then you feel bad for not doing more. It’s not that you’re lazy, you’re just exhausted. Emotionally, mentally, all of it.
And before you know it, you realize you’re not seeing some people again. Whether it’s a classmate, a group project partner, or someone you’ve been lowkey crushing on, once that last class hits, it’s like… wait. That’s it? You might never see them again, and it’s kind of weirdly sad.
Finals week is also kinda lonely, even if you’re surrounded. Everyone’s locked in. Library tables are full, but no one’s talking. Study dates get replaced with major solo stress. People disappear into their schedules, and even your friends start feeling distant.
The reflection hits you out of nowhere when you look up and realize the semester is over. And you don’t know if you did enough. Or grew enough. Or even liked who you were this fall. But it’s too late to change anything. That weird little emotional spiral? It’s completely normal.
And the closure you want? You probably won’t get it. Not every conversation will get wrapped up. Not every situationship will make sense. Not every class will end with a bow. And you’ll carry a lot of that into winter break, even if you don’t talk about it.
The end of the fall semester doesn’t always feel like an ending. It’s more like a slow fade, not a celebration, but a quiet shuffle toward the exit. You’re just trying to hold it together, turn in your stuff, and survive until break.
But if you’re feeling off? If everything feels heavier than you expected? That’s normal too. You’re not behind. You’re not doing it wrong. You’re just in the part no one talks about.
And if no one else says it, I’m proud of you for making it this far.