The holidays are over, the happiness of not having to go to school or having a break from work is dwindling and before you know it...the new year is here. With that new year means the most wonderful thing of them all: a new semester of school. Can you detect the sarcasm? We basked in that month away from school, didn't we? Yet, as we drag ourselves to start gathering up our backpacks, thoughts, and notebooks, some of us come back with a fresh outlook on the school year, while the rest of us feel a glimmer of hope at the fact that it's syllabus week, so that means we really don't have to do, well, anything.
But with the mistakes of last year behind us, we learned a lot. A lot of what to keep on doing and a lot of what never to do again. We picked up habits, good or bad, made friends or didn't make friends and either had our grades hit sky high or plummet to rock bottom. But with this new year, there are some things that I feel are important to get by with the new semester, whether you want to hear them or not.
1. Stay calm.
As college students, I know this seems near impossible. We have tests, tuition, unexpected fees, insane professors, friend drama...I could literally go on and on for decades, but I'll spare you the trauma. The key is to stay calm in the midst of the storm that is college. Even if that means faking it until you start believing it yourself.
2. Have fun.
I know, I know. Before I get a lecture on the fact that while we're in school, we need to focus on school...I get it. Listen, I'm as serious of a student as you can get, but who knew that having a little bit of fun during the school week could relieve major stress? I always made time for myself to do something fun during school, no matter how big or small of an activity it was. Whether it's watching a couple of episodes of "OITNB" on Netflix or going shopping for a few hours — having a bit of fun can help you in the long run.
3. Take a break.
Even though your professors are literally throwing tests at you and you feel like you might as well start living off of quilt, it's imperative that you take a break from that all nighter that you're bound to pull. What's the use of studying if your brain hasn't had a break to even process everything? Besides, sometimes it's necessary to take a break from the idea of college in general. Yeah, we’re students and our main goal in college is to actually exit it, but we don’t need to let that “student” title define us. Sometimes we simply just need to take a step back.
4. Talk to your family.
Our family might interrogate us during the holidays about our grades, wonder if we’re dating and overall ask some seriously annoying questions, but at the end of the day…they truly know what’s best. So, while you’re sitting there stressing over your lack of money, how every subject seems to be turning into a failing grade and how the world around you is basically falling — give your mom, aunt, dad, uncle, grandparents, cousin or whoever a call. They might understand more than we give them credit.
5. Grades aren't everything.
Now, to be a little contradictory for a moment — yes, grades are everything. Especially when you’re in college. But, that’s strictly on the face value of it all. I’ve gone through enough nights of crying, emotional breakdowns, and complaining to my Mom about my bad test grades enough times to probably last for an entire year. Instead of letting our grades define us this year, let’s just let them be a thing. That’s right. A thing.
6. Realize how blessed you are to even be here.
This is honestly the hardest one to remember as we trek into the new semester. We get so caught up in our numerous tests, clubs, activities, drama and the hustle and bustle of college itself, that we forget that there’s people out there who would absolutely kill to be in our position right now. I hope that during the new semester, you’re able to cut off the complaining and remember that instead of this being a necessity — it’s a blessing.
This semester like any other semester is bound to hold its challenges. That’s a given. But instead of letting school stress us out, beat us down, and completely steal all of our drive ... maybe we need to remember to do these things that might be unconventional, but completely worth it for our own sake in the long run.
