Welcome back, students! After a much-needed winter break, spring semester has begun. While long breaks from school are nice, many students find it difficult to get back into the swing of things upon their return. Sadly, there is no magic button you can press to reprogram your brain into school mode. However, there are some ways you can make going back to classes easier on yourself.
Go to bed earlier. During break, many students stay up later at night and wake up later in the day. This is fine to do over break because they don’t have early classes to get up for. It allows students to relax and catch up on z’s they have might have missed throughout the fall semester.
When classes resume, it is important to reestablish a good sleep schedule, especially if you have early classes or long days ahead of you. No one likes being tired and irritable for class, nor do professors appreciate students trying to catch up on sleep in their classroom. It is recommended that college students get seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Getting a good night’s rest has been proven to improve students’ academic performance as well as their overall health and well-being.
Establish a routine. One of the nicest things about college is that you get to make your own schedule. You get to choose what times you have classes, when you go to the gym, when you eat, etc. Most things are done on your own time. After the first week or two, you should be able to create a routine for yourself based around your classes. Once you have established your routine, getting back into the swing of things will be a piece of cake.
Utilize a planner. While you may be trying to get back on track, your brain may still be lagging. Writing assignments, test dates, meetings and other important events down in a planner will help you to stay organized throughout the semester. Staying organized will only help you in the long run, saving you from extra, unneeded stress.
Getting back on the track to success is not always easy, but it is worth it. Lambda wishes you the best of luck this spring semester! Go forth and conquer!
