The first few days back from break are rough. Winter break was like a long, beautiful dream and now that I’m back to reality, I don’t know how to cope! I had forgotten how mentally and physically exhausting it is to wake up early, go to (and stay awake in) classes, and run around to club meetings! However, I buckled down and strategized ways to get back in to routine – if I can do it, you can do it!
- Start Your Day EARLY
Sound a bit counterintuitive to force your aching body and brain out of bed? Let me explain. Waking up early allows you to leisurely eat breakfast (the most important meal of the day), help you clear your mind and prepare yourself for the long day ahead. Don’t think of it as an act of punishment but rather a treat – a way to extend the day in a sense.
Starting the day earlier will also make you feel more productive – something I haven’t been in the past month. Get your juices flowing and maybe even do some morning yoga! Anything to get your body and mind all warmed up and ready to face the long day.
2. Plan your day and week
After the first day of classes, I always have a daunting pile of syllabi and a major headache. Instead of panicking or simply brushing it off to the side, sit down and map it out! Figure out what you will need to complete the upcoming week. This will help you get ahead, understand how much workload you will have in the following days and allow you to better manage your time. Not only will planning help you get adjusted to the new structured scheduled, but it will also benefit you in the LONG RUN (read: no mental breakdowns or cramming mid-semester).
3. Catch up with friends!
Track down your friends that have abandoned you been gone all fall semester! Grab lunch and coffee with all of the people you weren’t able to see during winter break. Simply get yourself out and about – it’ll help you get back into the routine of things – as if you never left campus!
4. Motivate yourself
Focus on the positives. What classes are you excited about? Have you planned a spring break with the girls yet? How about going out with the gang every weekend? Look forward to the small and big events that are to come.
5. Mix it up!
It’s a new year and a new semester! Instead of focusing on those resolutions, think about setting yourself on “refresh.” Re-decorate or organize your dorm room to make yourself feel more refreshed and anew – like giving yourself a makeover via interior design. If last semester was difficult, remember that this semester is a new one, you’re getting a second chance! If you had a great fall semester, make a note to make the spring even better.
You got this. We’re Bucknell girls – if we can survive Lewisburg weather, we can do anything. Really, surviving this freezing weather is a real talent. (; Stay warm and welcome back!