Christmas and New Year celebrations are now definitely behind us and the new semester, with its assignments, deadlines and extracurricular activities is here once again. If all of this isn’t enough, the beginning of the year is also the time to be looking for summer jobs or internships as well as planning the year ahead. Getting back to your study routine after a long break can feel dull, or even sad. If you’re feeling down, you might be suffering from post-vacation blues. Don’t worry though, there are ways to deal with it!
1. Ease into it
If you feel like you’re not ready to get back to normal life, start the transition by making small adjustments to your holiday routine. The semester has only just started, so for the first couple of weeks you can take it easier without falling too much behind. Granted, you don’t want to take it too easy, only to find yourself buried in work half way through the semester, but if you’re struggling to concentrate and get things done, it might make more sense to leave the library and relax at home. Drastic changes to your routine might make you feel even more overwhelmed.
2. Start a new hobby
Spicing up your routine might make the transition back to reality more comfortable. Have you always wanted to take up drawing or ballet but haven’t ‘found the time’ or just gotten around to signing up? Why not start the new year by doing just that? Now is as good a time as any. Your local gym, Workers’ Academy or Open University probably have courses starting in January and some of them might still have room.
3. Stay in touch with your friends and family
During the holidays, you might have seen your high-school friends and relatives that you don’t get the chance to see that often during the school year. Staying in touch with them makes it feel like the holidays aren’t entirely over yet. As an added bonus, they can provide you with much needed mental support for the new year!
4. Plan ahead
If you’re feeling down about the amount of work ahead of you, take a look at all of your assignments and plan ahead. You might realize that you don’t really have to work that hard if you start right away. Also, this way you might even avert the ever-present risk of an all-nighter. The start of a new semester with its batch of new courses is also a great way to create some new habits and to get rid of bad ones. Celebrate the start of a new era!