For many college students the week following spring break is often spent wishing that the next six or seven weeks were already over and reminiscing on how much more optimism we had when the semester started. Remember when an 8 AM felt like no big deal and we felt confident that if we studied enough we wouldn't fail all of our exams? And for the first six weeks we powered through, making every attempt to convince ourselves not to skip classes and to pull that all-nighter because getting an A would make it worth the effort.
Yet, after spring break it seems that most of us have lost that motivation. We had a week to not worry about going to class, a week where we could sleep in as late as we wanted without waking up to an annoying alarm. Then suddenly we were back at school, sitting in lectures with professors who couldn't understand why we hadn't spent the week reviewing the material we had already learned and studying for exams that we had forgotten about.
For most of us, the countdown to summer break before we were even back on campus and the next few weeks will probably be some of the longest of our lives. Here are some stages that we all experience in the stretch from spring break to summer break.
1. Getting ready for classes on the first day back
It's no big deal, I only forgot about the 7 homework assignments I was supposed to finish. Are you sure we don't have another week off?
2. Seeing the professor who scheduled exam for the same week you got back
Pretty sure there should be university regulations that keep this from happening.
3. Realizing you've made it through one week but still have six more to go
Sure it's one week less, but it's not over until it's over.
4. Falling asleep in all of your classes because they seem twice as long as they did before break
Maybe it's just me, but I don't think the time on that clock has changed since I last looked at it 5 minutes ago.
5. Reaching the point where you wonder why you even care anymore
Is all of this suffering really worth it?
6. Starting to calculate how badly you can do in all of your classes without destroying your GPA
Hey, for the record, C's get degrees. It might not be the best way to get into grad school, but at least we'll graduate. Baby steps.
7. Giving into societal pressure and posting a #Summer2k15 throwback
It's also good motivation to remind me to get back in shape.
8. Powering through the final few weeks
What I really want is so close, but so far away.
9. Walking out of your last final
I'll just tell myself it went better than it actually did.