When Winter Break finally comes to a close, we all happily head back to our schools. We get to see friends, our dorms and get a nice break from that pesky Aunt who keeps asking what you're going to do with your life. We unpack our stuff and everything seems like it's just going great. At some point, we reach the realization of what's really going on. No more Netflix all day bliss, or eating home-cooked meals every day. It's time to come back to reality.
1. Shock
Stage one usually sets in right around Sunday night. The weekend has been great, and you're finally feeling settled back into your dorm. With no care in the world, you turn on Netflix and prepare for a regular night. Suddenly, it hits you and you remember why you're actually back at school. You have real life responsibilities and they all start tomorrow.
2. Denial
Your brain will start going into denial right when your alarm goes off Monday morning. You always try to pretend that you don't actually have class, and you most certainly don't have to do any school work. Personally, I need to trick myself into getting out of bed. It tends to go a little like, "Nope. I don't have class today. I'm just getting dressed because I really want to go eat breakfast."
3. Anger
Honestly, this one can be dangerous. Anger can pop up really at any time. Whether it's in class when your professor assigns that first reading or when you have to wait in line forever to get your coffee, an outburst can really happen at any minute. If you're lucky, you'll have a roommate who knows how to handle your fits by now and no one will get too hurt.
4. Depression
We all know this feeling that hits on Wednesday and usually lasts all the way through Thursday classes. You're just too tired to be angry anymore and you feel yourself slipping into some sort of slump. The best way it can be described is just pure and simple sadness. You have no desire at all to do anything, let alone go to classes. The last thing that you ever want to do is go to classes and do work.
5. Acceptance
The final stage of acceptance will hopefully hit you right after Friday classes are over. You survived the first week and remember that it's not so bad after all. I mean yes you do have to do all that class stuff, but then you realize you have the weekends to really do whatever you want. However, be warned, it is entirely possible that you will go through this whole cycle again starting Sunday night.
