We’ve all been there. Exams are already starting, papers are due and friends are complaining that they haven’t seen you because you’ve been camping out at the library trying to complete every possible thing you can. Even though it’s only February, the stress of college life is sinking in once again, and these might be the signs and symptoms that you’re already feeling.
1. Forgot to turn something in.
I had this problem just my first week. The professor had already assigned us homework only after the first day of class, and I didn’t write it down and didn’t recheck my syllabus. In my head, I was thinking, “It’s the first week, I don’t have homework yet." Come back to class the following week to realize I didn’t have my assignment done. Oops.
2. Finding your way.
Whether you’re a commuter or live on campus, you’ve also probably been struggling with trying to find parking, finding the right building or even making sure that you are in the right room each and every day. There are days when even I have to recheck my schedule just to make sure I have the day and time right. I’d lose my head without my schedule. If you can access your schedule through your phone, screen shot it to make it your background, or just to have it in your pictures! It’s a great way to check without being so obvious!
3. Staying organized.
Different classes at different times leaves little to no room in your schedule to run back to your dorm or car to drop off the books and binders you don’t need. Or, if you’re like me, assume that you don’t need something one day and leave it at home only to be in class and asked to take out that book or item. It’s a pain to be the person that has to ask to share, to need the paper or pencil, but it’s not something to seriously fret over because normally you’re not the only one.
4. Motivation is dying.
Even though it’s February, motivation begins to tank when you look through your syllabus and start marking up your calendar with everything you need to do. Once you realize you won’t have a free day until graduation, laying in bed and watching Netflix just sounds so much better than stressing about your future non-existent social life. Until you’re in the middle of a binge and realize you have stuff to do, then it’s time to get it together.
5. Health takes a hit.
Paper due tomorrow. Group project meeting the next. Meeting with team to go over new things. Work the next night. Time for you is just a constant movement between one activity to the other, and you’re using any free time you have to do homework or even eat. This leads to stress, and stress leads to overeating or binging late at night because you didn’t eat throughout the day. This leads to lack of motivation and less physical activity. Soon, getting Chinese and going to bed sounds much sweeter than packing a bag and heading to the gym. Yet, that Chinese becomes sickening, and maybe later the salad will sound sweeter. You’ll have days when the motivation is gone, but it will slowly come back as you keep accomplishing tasks and make it to that final day of the semester.
Trying to get through any point in a school semester seems daunting, but somehow you and I will get through. For me, I keep looking forward to that day in May that I get to walk across the stage and get that degree I’ve been working so hard for. Plus, in addition, we all have Spring Break to look forward to. Keep going!
