After spending a full month at home relaxing, hanging out with friends and eating home-cooked meals, the last thing we all want to do is jump right back into the workload and grind that Work Forest demands. So to make the transition a little smoother, here are HC’s top 5 tips on how to stay fresh (and not stressed) this semester!
Start with a positive attitude.
As much as it stinks to be back and have to begin frequenting the libs, think about all the great things on campus that you can’t do at home. You’ve got freedom, late nights and fantastic socializing with your best friends. The more positive of an attitude you have, the easier the transition back will be.
Reorganize your life.
Get rid of anything you don’t need for the new semester. Chuck last semester’s books, notecards, folders – anything you don’t need anymore. This will help ditch the clutter and give you a fresh start to your new classes. Maybe even implement a bit of fung shui to give your room a new look, too!
Get into a good routine.
Whether it’s going to the gym, eating better or just starting to study earlier, implement new, good habits as your classes start. Those days of mindless TV-watching are, unfortunately, over, so get back into the swing of a productive routine to help reduce your stress in the first few weeks of class. More importantly, get to bed earlier while you have the chance. We all loved the 12-14 hours of sleep a night we got at home, but stock up on sleep here while the workload is still relatively low. Let’s be honest, there’s no real reason to pull all-nighters right now!
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Stay on top of your homework.
Even though we’ve been in classes for under a month, that doesn’t mean that every week is “Syllabus Week.” Teachers are assigning readings, problems and homework just the same, so now is not the time to get behind. Take advantage of the lighter workload for now and get things done early so that when the work does pile up, you aren’t swamped in chapters of mindless textbook-reading.
Get re-involved!
Reunite with the clubs and organizations you’ve been involved with this year to keep up those commitments and friendships. Maybe even try something new for the spring semester! If there’s an organization you’re interested in, contact its chair to see if you can go to the next meetings—most groups are always looking for new, enthusiastic members (Her Campus included!). Also, attend the great school events that Wake offers. With basketball season starting, why not show off your Deacon pride at one of the games at the Joel? And don’t miss Her Campus’s sponsored event this week, Intern Queen, on Tuesday, January 31 in Pugh Auditorium at 7 p.m.! Gotta get ready to snag the best summer internships out there!
Hopefully these tips help you kick off a great start to your spring semester and get you back into the swing of things here at Wake. Productivity and routine during the week lets you relax and have more fun on the weekends, and we all know Work Forest’s unofficial motto: work hard, play hard!
*Photography by Lauren Martinez