Picture this: just a minute ago you were packing your things, getting ready to venture off to wherever your winter break plans would take you, excited and ready to relax for three weeks. Suddenly you blink and you’re back in Westwood buying textbooks and iClickers, stalking waitlists and wondering when this new quarter plans on hitting you like a brick, while not being able to do anything about it because (surprise surprise!) assignments are not posted yet. Sound familiar? We’ve all been there — Post Break Blues are very much real. It’s not always the most fun getting adjusted to a new set of classes, schedules and professors, especially when you’ve been away from all things that require moderate brain stimulation for almost a month.
All that being said, there is hope for people like us! Just a few conscious changes in mindset really do make all the difference when thinking about the start of the quarter. For starters, try to think of it as just that: the start of the quarter, as opposed to the end of break. New beginnings can be so much fun if you let them, so make this the quarter you push yourself out of your comfort zone. Join a new organization that you never thought you would have, apply for that competitive internship because it would feel so incredible to get in, pick up a hobby that you’ve always wanted to learn or a passion project that excites you. If there’s ever a time to do something different, it’s the start of the quarter, and this one just so happens to align with the start of the year too.
So before you start dreading all the work that’s about to pile up, or reminiscing on all the Netflix you watched over break, take a second to realize that you’re not in either of those places. For the time being, you’re simply back at school after a well-earned break, and you’ll have plenty of time for stress later. So enjoy no-man’s land! However you choose to spend these first few weeks, make it a time you’ll look back and smile on, one that sets you up for good things to come. And happy winter quarter!