If you’ve gotten back from your spring break and feel like you’ve completely lost your motivation to go to class, workout, or study, you’re not alone. The spring break slump is that period of time after break where it’s hard to revert back into the college student you were before you left campus. With spring break officially in the rearview mirror for a lot of college students, there’s nothing worse than coming back to school and being thrust back into a busy semester. While you’re reminiscing about your cute break bikinis or perfectly packed bag, your professors are busy assigning problem sets and expecting you to show up to lectures.
Having your college routine broken by a vacation makes it hard to get back into the groove of things, and transitioning back from relaxation to the grindset is difficult, but there’s definitely ways to make it easier on you and your GPA. Here’s what experts say to do to overcome the post-spring break slump and finish the semester strong.
Avoid social media… at least for a little bit.
As we’ve all experienced at one point or another, social media is pretty good at reminding us at what a good time everyone else is having. Colleges have different spring breaks, so when yours ends, your friend’s might be starting, and that means a whole influx of beach pics on your feed — which is not what you need when you’re back in the library.
Michelle Hagen, a licensed marriage and family therapist with experience in the field of behavioral health, tells Her Campus, “Staying out of social media can help avoid falling into the trap of spending too much time ‘scrolling’ and ‘comparing [y]ourself with others,’ which could be a distraction from the priorities of school tasks.” Instead, Hagen suggests, “Take the time to work on your school activities in a courtyard with your peers or get lunch with your friends and connect with them that way instead of reading their feeds on social media.” This can ensure you avoid feeling isolated.
Study with friends.
When it comes down to getting back into an academic mindset, students often struggle with motivation. Studying with friends could be a great way to get that motivation back, whether it’s motivation to start working on a paper, or to study for a midterm, or even just to get out of bed.
Hagen says, “Being part of a study group with your peers can hold you accountable on the school tasks and help combat procrastination.” Seeing that people around you are hard at work can inspire you to do the same, and keep you from scrolling on TikTok for hours. But that doesn’t mean that avoiding all conversation with your friends is the way to go either; try to balance a good amount of work time with a good amount of chitchat to keep yourself from burning out!
Set realistic goals.
Coming back from spring break, you might hold yourself to the same standards that you had for yourself and your grades before the vacation. You’ll probably find yourself feeling as if you should be able to finish assignments or cover material faster than you actually are, which can be frustrating.
Amira Martin, a psychotherapist, wellness professional, and adjunct lecturer at Columbia University School of Social Work, tells Her Campus that students should “break tasks into smaller, more manageable steps.” Spacing these smaller tasks out and putting them into a calendar can help you prioritize what needs to be done, and help you feel less overwhelmed.
Practice self-care.
Above all, make sure that you’re meeting your body’s basic needs, especially if they’re different after spring break. Going on a vacation is a disruption to your college routine, and it’s easy to forget to do the things you used to do everyday. Martin says that students should ensure that they’re “getting enough sleep, eating well, and engaging in physical activity.” Prioritizing your well-being is the most important thing you can do, and Martin emphasizes this, telling Her Campus, “These activities can help to improve overall well-being and reduce stress levels, which can improve motivation and focus.”
Although coming back to school isn’t the easiest process, making small efforts everyday can help you get back into your routine and stay on top of your assignments. You’re so close to being done with the semester — you can do it!