The start of a new semester is always something to look forward to; the next three months will be filled with friends, adventures, wisdom, memories, and unimaginable excitement! Saying goodbye to summer is hard, but imagining all of the experiences that await us as the new semester begins makes it easier for us to move forward and embrace all the things that the new semester has to offer. Here are 5 things that I love about the first day of the semester:
1. New clothes. New shoes. New school supplies. New everything!
Everything on the first day of a new semester feels so new and refreshing; everyone wears their best first-day-of-school clothes, carries their new bags, shows off their new hairstyles, and embraces all the changes they have implemented since the last time they were on campus during finals week. The feeling of opening a new binder and using a new pen is indescribable, and knowing that everything is brand new just enforces the idea of the first day being a new beginning.
2. Reuniting with friends after so many months apart.
College is not like high school where all of your friends live close to you, allowing you to see them frequently over the summer; chances are, your college friends live in different states or just far enough away that visiting each other over the summer is a struggle. The first day of the semester allows you to reunite with the friends that you have not seen in months! I love the reunion hugs and hearing people say, “I missed you so much!” Spending your break between classes listening to your friends’ stories about their summers, as well as telling them about all of the exciting things you did during your own summer, is something to look forward to on the first day of the semester.
3. Syllabus Day.
The first day of the semester is also known as “Syllabus Day,” and for good reason. You sit in an unknown classroom surrounded by other students that you do not know yet and listen to your new professor go through the syllabus, and this is the first experience you have in each of your classes. Syllabus Day is the easiest day of the entire semester, so enjoy it while you can. The first day of the semester is not filled with class assignments, homework, tests, and deadlines; syllabus day is all about becoming exposed to what you are in for during the rest of the semester.
4. Having a clean slate.
Beginning a new semester is equivalent to wiping your slate clean and gaining a fresh start. Your grades from last semester are no longer hovering over your head, and the professors you did not like last semester are no longer a part of your life. The first day of the semester presents you with the opportunity to start over and begin a new chapter. If your last semester did not go the way you had hoped, you now have the opportunity to try again and make this new semester everything that you want it to be. Clean slates are not given out very often, so take advantage of this new beginning.
5. Working towards your goals.
The first day of the semester reminds you of the goals that you are working towards in life. After a long summer of fun and a carefree attitude, you might need a reminder of what it is that you are trying to accomplish and why. Once the first day starts, you are back to pursuing your education and gaining the knowledge you need to face the world. Day one is when you can form new goals, as well as reflect on the ones that you have already made. This day is a trailer of the next three months of your life, and is a reminder of the motivation and excitement that you need to keep intact in order to survive the semester. You are working towards a brighter future, and the first day of the semester is the first step towards that future.
You may be upset about the summer drawing to a close, but the first day of the semester is definitely something to look forward to. The freshness of your surroundings, catching up with the friends that you have not seen in so long, and having a clean slate are things that should motivate you to use this semester to fulfill all of your dreams and accomplish all of your goals. I hope everyone has a great first day back and that this semester is full of success for all of you.
