I don’t know about you, but I feel weird being back on campus after a month-long break. I had so much fun during winter break, and I also kind of got used to being back home. When I was at home, I missed all my friends here and the independence that comes with college; but now that I’m back, I miss the comfort of home and my parents. It’s so funny how you always miss the things that you don’t have at that moment. I’m excited to be back and to see what my classes will be like, but I am so not ready. But like it or not, the semester is here.
The start of a semester is never easy, but it is important that you start off strong and pay attention to your professors early on because it will eliminate a lot of confusion as the semester progresses. I know a lot of us, myself included, are still in vacation mode but we all just need to get through this semester. I really appreciate the fact that this first week is syllabus week in a lot of classes so that there is not much homework and assignments piled on you when you are still adjusting to being back on campus. That being said, here are some ways to start getting a head start on the semester.
- Set Goals
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The start of the spring semester is always a good time to reflect back on what was successful in your fall semester and also what you want to do differently. This first week is really important for setting goals for yourself for the rest of the semester, whether it’s to finally start exercising, stop procrastinating or working towards all A’s. Setting goals for yourself will help you stay on track for the rest of the semester and to hold yourself accountable.
So, as the semester starts, start thinking of what long term and short term goals you want to set for yourself, and think about what has to be done in order to achieve those goals. Whether these are New Year’s Resolutions or just general goals for school, once you establish what you want to work towards, it will be a lot easier to make a schedule for yourself.
- Set A Schedule
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Once syllabus week is over, we all know that school is going to become brutal: professors assigning homework, projects, etc. Making a schedule for myself worked so well for me last semester; planning my weeks out has helped me to keep track of what is due for that week, helped me to schedule meetings with my advisor and overall just helped me from getting overwhelmed. Whether you’re the type of person who makes a weekly schedule or a daily to-do list, scheduling everything you have to do will really help you stay on track!
When you are making a schedule, don’t forget to include any other obligations like volunteering and extracurriculars. And don’t forget to make time to hang out with friends!
- Be Patient
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Finally, don’t be too hard on yourself as the semester starts; we are all getting back into the swing of things and it’s going to take some time. Everyone struggles with adjustments like this, you might even notice that your parents struggle with going back to work after taking time off for the holiday break.
If you can, plan in some extra breaks for yourself this first week. Consider doing something fun like hanging out with friends or watching that movie you’ve been waiting to see at the end of this school week—that way you have something to look forward to!
Sometimes even if you plan ahead, set goals and create a schedule, you might not be able to jump back into the swing of things right away—and that is completely fine. It’s important that you not be too hard on yourself, we’re all eventually going to get back into the rhythm of classes and extracurriculars.
Getting back into your school routine after a long winter break won’t be easy, but with some thoughtful planning, it can be made significantly easier. And just remember, only four months until summer!