Each new semester brings change, and change can be hard for everyone, no matter how well-adjusted someone may seem. There’s new classes, new professors and a new schedule. It's likely that your living situation is different than it was last year. Heck, even the food options on campus are different. But in all seriousness, it takes time to get used to everything, especially when so many aspects are changing at once.
Whether it’s big or small, change takes time to get used to and people deal with it differently. As the new school year starts (whether it’s easy to believe or not), think ahead and create a plan to tackle the sudden wave of changes coming your way. You’ll help yourself out in the long run.
1. Create a schedule and stick to it.
People thrive on routine and unless you’re one of those people who doesn’t have to study for anything, you need to set aside time to hit the books. Dedicating specific time to do this will make it easier to focus because your brain will distinguish that you need to do school work at that time. This way, you’ll decrease a good portion of the shock and stress that exam week is bound to bring.
2. Find a way that works for you to relieve stress when times get tough.
Everyone has their own “thing” that helps them distress when everything going on feels too overwhelming. Some people like to run and some people hate running. It's different for everyone. At the end of the day, you know yourself best. So do what you need to do in order to make yourself feel positive about what's up ahead.
3. If there are specific issues you're worried about, make a list.
Making a list will help you decide what you need to do to make the situation better and set very specific concrete, manageable goals. Upset about something from last semester? Acknowledge it, but try not to dwell on it. Use it to your advantage by turning it into motivation. Not only do you have the power to deal with change, you also have the power to create change. Someone once said, "If you don't like where you are, move. You are not a tree."
4. Most importantly, keep perspective.
Remember that when a bunch of things are new at once it’s normal to feel overwhelmed. Everyone else is starting a new semester, so you're definitely not alone. Before you know it, things will feel more and more normal and you'll be back in the groove of things.
And don’t forget that as cheesy as it sounds, change helps you grow as a person. Change keeps you on your toes. If everything stayed the same, you would be staying the exact same too. And that's no fun.
