There's no doubt that the first month of school is the hardest. You're coming back from an amazing summer and you're ready for a good year. You have both high and low points during the first month, but, as long as you stay positive about it, everything should turn out fine.
1. I can't wait for this semester to start.
Whether it's the week before or the day you move in, everyone is excited for the year to start and to see their friends again. Your excitement is giving you unreal amounts of energy, so you're prepared in every way possible. You've mentally decorated your room over and over again until it's perfect, and your planner is filled with color-coded reminders for your future self.
2. It's the first day of class!!!
The first day of class is the time to set the tone for the rest of the year. You make a point to get up every day and study before your classes. You promise yourself you're going to ace every test. We'll see how long this lasts.
3. Wait, I have to keep getting up early?
The first day you had to wake up for your early class, and you felt fine. But you definitely forgot that you have to wake up every day for classes. Couldn't you have one day that starts after noon?
4. It's week two, why do we have a test?
You've had a total of three classes and your professor says you have a test the next time you come to class. How do they expect you to know the material when you've barely gotten past the first day of class introductory PowerPoint?
5. I skipped a class and I'm not sorry about it.
You just can't take waking up early anymore. You sleep 15 minutes past your alarm and hit snooze when it goes off again. You think to yourself, "15 more minutes. I'll just skip showering today." But you can't go to class without showering, can you? You might as well not go.
6. I completely regret skipping that class.
You skip one class and suddenly the whole class has learned all of the coursework in a 50-minute period. Was skipping really worth the hours you're going to spend learning everything by yourself and trying to catch up?
7. I have homework due in 15 minutes that I forgot about.
It's finally Friday and your friends are all going out to celebrate the end of a long week. You're dressed and ready to go, but then you remember the ALEKS homework that was due at the end of the week. Can you REALLY get all 15 topics done by 11:59 p.m.?
8. I failed my first exam of the year but I'm fine... I think.
You studied almost too much for this exam. You stayed at the library until it closed. You holed up in the study room and skipped dinner just so you could get an A on it. You couldn't have possibly messed up enough to actually fail this. Thank god for the curve.
9. Is week four too early to consider dropping out?
The week four struggle hits so hard by the time Sunday rolls around. You have a pile of homework waiting to be done that's all due by Wednesday. You've barely slept in three days and you desperately need a long, hot shower. You just can't take it anymore.
10. Is it the weekend yet?!
The days are slowly starting to get longer and Friday feels so far away. You just want one day to binge-watch Netflix and eat entirely too much Goldfish in your bed waiting for your friends to invite you to whatever plans they have for the night.
11. I can't do this anymore. I'm SO tired.
You've been pulling late nights for the last four days to get ready for midterms. There's no time for naps between classes, laundry, homework and eating. It feels like you're busy every single second of the day.
12. It's finally Friday!
The weekend is here. You're done with classes for the day and there's nothing you want more than an iced coffee and a nap. You have your night planned out and high hopes for the weekend.
13. My roommate is such a saint for putting up with me.
The mess on your side of the room has been tumbling over into theirs. You leave your school stuff everywhere and you've been snacking on everything within the four walls of your room, and they STILL haven't said anything. You acknowledge how seriously blessed you are with such a great person as your roommate.
14. This isn't as bad as I thought.
After the week four slump, everything is starting to get better. You settled into your classes, your sleep schedule is evening out and you can feel your routine starting to come back. Maybe you were overreacting to the first few weeks, but just a little bit.
15. This year is going to be amazing.
You're back at it with your old friends, new ones too, and the rest of the year is going to be a breeze. The first month of school is always the hardest, but everything after that is going to be a breeze. At least most people are in the same boat as you. Maybe you'll come more prepared next year.
