Fall semester is new. It's exciting. You've had all summer to relax, unwind, and forget just how truly awful school and college can truly be. As a result, you come back invigorated, hopeful, and even a little excited. You're ready to escape the constraints of living at home for the summer, catch up with your friends, and to hit up all your old favorite spots. You're ready to crush your classes and determined to make this year the best yet!
But SECOND semester is a totally different story...
Second semester you come back from the fun of the holidays only to face a dark, cold campus, the January blues, and maybe even frostbite. You haven't quite recovered from the trauma of last semester's finals, and you're definitely not ready to face a whole new round of class shenanigans.
Nonetheless, each January college students everywhere put on a brave face, pack up their backpacks, and trudge make the painful trip back to campus for another round of torture... er, I mean great times and good memories.
Here are 5 reasons why second semester is the absolute worst.
1. It's COLD
If you thought December was bad, you ain't seen nothin' yet. Temperatures drop below freezing, snow piles on, ice adds up. Yet, rather than stay in your warm bed at home, you're forced to trudge through it all, because come rain or shine (or ice, or snow, or sleet) class will go on, and you need those attendance points through it all.
2. When's the next holiday, again?
Coming back down from the high of Christmas and New Year's is hard, and there's no real holiday to break life's harsh reality. Instead, you're faced with commercialized holidays such as Valentine's Day and maybe a break at Easter, that is if you celebrate, and left yearning for Spring break.
....At least we get a week before we have to face final projects and exams.
3. You're so close, but so, so far
Slowly...VERY slowly, the days start getting longer and warmer. With every bird chirp, flower blossom, and weekends spent outside, summer and sweet freedom feels just a little bit closer. Too bad you're stuck inside studying to pass those finals. ...What's a tan again?
4. Everything is ending
Sure, Summer is on its way, but let's be honest, it's just not the same anymore. Instead of looking forward to a carefree few months spent with friends frolicking in the sun all day, most of us are faced with the task of applying for jobs, figuring out what classes to take in the fall, and (scariest of all) what we're going to do post-graduation. It'll be nice to have time off, but sometimes it's easier just to stay in school just to avoid being a real adult just a little longer.
5. Did I mention the weather?
Okay, eventually the snow stops, but in its place comes rain, lots and lots of rain. Campus and roads flood, making it nearly impossible to get around or drive home even if you had the time (which, newsflash, you won't). This being said, the silver lining is that if it was nice out, you probably wouldn't notice and definitely wouldn't enjoy it, because you'll be studying.
Don't worry, though. Spring semester won't last forever, and neither will college. Pretty soon, you'll be antsy and ready to come in the fall. Even though it's hard, do your best to enjoy every second of the experience, because it truly does go so fast. Then, you're thrown into the real world and everything sucks, all the time. (Haha, kidding... I hope.)
