The months of November and December are probably the worst months during the fall semester.
There's nothing wrong with the months itself. There's Thanksgiving, we're in the full swing of fall weather, and the year is winding down to a close. Then there's the Christmas season where it snows, there are Christmas music and decorations everywhere, and Christmas is quickly approaching. However, it is the WORST for college students and here are some Disney characters to help explain why:
1. Late Nights and Tired Mornings
Midterms have just ended, but now it's time to start preparing for finals and doing end of the year papers and projects. Your nights are now filled with essays, projects, group work, tests, and late nights that can go anywhere from 10PM-3AM. Did I mention you're now basically like a walking Zombie? It's like you can never get enough sleep, even when you have time to recover on the weekends.
2. Countdown to Thanksgiving Break
The last break you had was fall break, so you've been counting down the next break, which is Thanksgiving break. Now that November has arrived, you are patiently waiting for the next 3 weeks to fly by so that you can stop worrying about classes and start worrying about how to leave room in your stomach for all the delicious Thanksgiving food. Side note: You know how we worry about the Freshman 15? Well, it's really from going home and living in the fact that we finally have a real home-cooked meal.
3. And then the Countdown to Winter Break
Thanksgiving break ends and you still have to come back for another 2 weeks or so to finish out classes. However, at this point, it's all just work days in class to work on studying or whatever end-of-the-year assignment your professor has you doing. It actually feels like the longest period of your life during the fall semester, just because it's so short and the end of the semester is so close.
4. Walking To Class In The Snow
Even if you live off campus, this is still a struggle. I think snow is worse to walk in then the rain or the heat. Snow can get be heavy, fall in snowflakes, and also build up higher and higher on the ground. First of all, if you live on campus, you have to bundle up and then take the trek from your dorm all the way to your class and then do it all over again after your class is over.
Then, if you live off campus, you have to worry about warming up your car to drive to campus, then worry about getting your car through the snow, and to think this all happens before you even make it to campus. Then, there the possibility your car won't start if it's REALLY cold and then having to worry about walking home or bumming a ride. Snow is pretty but is the devil to college students.
5. Registering for Spring Semester
You either win or you lose with this one. Time tickets for Spring Semester usually open in the beginning of November and registering for classes is more of a nightmare then you would think. You either get lucky, getting an early time ticket where you get all the classes you wanted at all the times you wanted.
Or, you get a late time ticket, having to take hours to figure out what classes to take because some of the ones you wanted are already full and there is no way you're taking an 8 AM or an 8 PM class.
6. Dealing with Classmates
You may like the people you have in your classes and you may not, but spending 5 months with the same people almost every day can get aggravating, especially if you have to do a lot of group work and study sessions with them.
There is a class where I have to work with a partner for every single assignment we do, so you better believe I'm ready to take a break and start a new semester with entirely new people.
7. And Also Dealing with your Roommate
You've had to live with this person for almost 5 months now and you may be feeling like it's time for a long break away from them.
They may be similar to you, but that doesn't mean that you have the same bedtimes, quirks, or cleaning habits. And, although you may have adapted to this way of living, there's only so much you can handle. I love my roommate, but I know for a fact that it's time for some time away from having to share a small enclosed space with someone else.
8. Nothing Makes Sense Anymore
It's not because you aren't smart, but because your brain is on overload, you can't make sense of what people say half of the time.
Sometimes, you can be sitting in class and you realize that you've totally spaced off and you now have no idea what the professor is saying let alone talking about. You could also just be doing a homework assignment and everything you've written sounds like total gibberish because you're just so done and don't want to do work anymore.
9. Preparing for Graduation
If you're a senior or someone who is graduating at the end of fall semester, you're probably preparing yourself to do well in all your classes, finish strong, and to complete the graduation process. This makes you panic even more because you're either super set on what you're doing after graduation or you have absolutely no idea what you're doing. There really is no in between.
10. Finals
Do I really have to explain this one?