How to Bounce Back from the Hardest School Year Yet

I went into this school year hoping it would just go by fast. I had a tough summer of school, work, and trying (unsuccessfully) not to pass out in my un-airconditioned student house, and honestly wasn’t looking forward to another two semesters of online school. BUT, I had to really snap out of this “poor-me” mentality because, well, I am a senior and this should be the best year of undergrad yet! There are also much bigger problems in the world right now and I have already made it through seven terms as a Waterloo Warrior and wasn’t going to surrender with just two more ahead of me – no way. 

As Fall term approached and then started (and is now almost over), I was and have been continuously thinking about my Winter and Spring terms as a student and how disappointed I was in how I performed and how little I felt I learned. Having to pay for school is definitely a motivator for seeking meaningful and top-quality education, and I just felt like the experience I had wasn’t really worth it. Simply, it was a hard school year, and I really wasn’t ready for another go of it. 

But… here we are – being students, again. So, here are a few tips on how to bounce back from a hard term and make the most of being a student during a major historical event – really it’s nothing big, just a global pandemic and a full course load. 

Get out of the house – safely!

When I get overwhelmed with school or stressed about the fact that I am living the, supposedly, prime years of my life in a bubble, I go for a walk. Getting outside, strolling through Waterloo Park, and seeing that life exists outside the four poorly decorated walls of my bedroom really helps to put everything into perspective. 

Find a new hobby or passion!

I have decided that my goal is to run the NYC marathon before I turn 30 and decided this about, hmm, 3 weeks ago. However, I can barely run a mile so I thought I should start training, and do so really slowly. Running, like going for a walk, has been another great motivator to get outside and push away the continuous thoughts of post-grad life and current school stressors. I come back heaving and scared that I have caused permanent bodily damage, but altogether this new hobby is a rather fun and health-promoting activity.

Take a “fun” course, if you can! 

For many of us, our academic plans are cramped with required courses or prerequisites for post-grad endeavours so we don’t have time for those, very select, fun courses. After triple-checking that all my degree requirements were fulfilled, I had 1 completely free elective and I thought to myself – what do I do? I take a Harry Potter based course, is what I do, obviously. 

It’s ENGL 108p – if you too are Potter-obsessed. Read the books, then watch the movies for a fun term-long task. 

If you have room in your schedule, I definitely recommend checking out some of UW’s more interesting and leisurely courses to pair with your program-specific and sometimes incredibly snooze-worthy courses. 
 

Find a way to express your emotions, in a healthy way

Something that I learned as an undergrad is that having a way to express how you feel is so important, especially with the fast-paced lifestyle that comes with being a student. I can get in a funk that continues for days and feel like I never have the time to really address what was bugging me because I believe I don’t have the time. 

For me, having those late-night deep chats with friends has been so therapeutic as we all navigate this shift to being a student in a pandemic. I have been able to talk to them about some of my academic struggles and personal challenges and they are so supportive of me – as we all have an uphill battle ahead of us. 
 

Take some time to reflect!

Remember that a bad week, term, or school year doesn’t define you! While the past (and current) school year was a true test for all, it’s important to remember that individual grades or even entire terms are not the markers for a successful and meaningful university experience. Try to reflect on what this time as an online student, living in quarantine, and adjusting to a COVID-19 world has given you and not just on what it has taken from you. Obviously easier said than done, but I think really making the most of the situation and somewhat forgetting about the dumpster-fire that was the last half of the year allows for progress. 

I think we can all agree that this past year has been hard. Duh. But, by taking a few steps – like those listed above – we can all begin to recover from the most challenging academic and personal year of our lives. I mean, being 13 and extremely self-conscious was challenging, but this is a whole different battleground. 

I believe in you Warriors – bounce back, adapt, and get ready to take on another year! 

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