Thanksgiving break provides college students a respite from three straight months of regular exams, all-nighters, and thoughts of paying rent at the library. The debilitated collegians trek home with the last couple weeks of laundry, and they proceed to sleep and eat for 90-percent of their time back home. By the time the final Sunday night rolls around, the reality of the completion of such a blissful break still has not quite settled in the minds of these soon-to-be-slapped-in-the-face millennials.
Monday Morning
This is when reality finally does set in. School, sadly, is back. Yes it's true. And the horrid tone of an alarm clock is the least-desired medium anyone could ask for to be brought back down to Earth. As terrifying as it is, the time to grind has returned.
First Week Back
After getting past the Monday morning alarm and a few cups of coffee, the average student may find themselves with a sudden rush of confidence never known before. Foolish they are, though, just as Wile E. Coyote is in this meme when he thinks the image of a tunnel is his way out. The college-goers and Wile E. are hit about equally as hard by reality.
Walking to Class
Up to this point, walking to classes has only been a pain because of the duration of the hikes. In December, every second of every trek is spent wanting nothing but to get inside where the air doesn't hurt your face.
Dead Week
Just like that, it seems life is fine again. For many students, the middle of the three weeks of December school consists largely of doing whatever they please. Out-of-class homework no longer exists, and this time is cherished by the collegians everywhere who know what's coming.
Finals Week
The single most dreaded time of the entire semester has arrived. Some get lucky and have one to two finals, but most experience an excruciating week of three to five finals in classes they likely never enjoyed in the first place. All of the missed classes, skipped readings, and lazy work come back to haunt many a student. The regret is overwhelming, and the hopelessness consumes them all. An all-nighter this week is a relatable ice breaker in conversations. Bags under the eyes have become an accepted look, and not one person seems odd for crying in public.
IT'S OVER
Leaving the room after the last final is one of the greatest feelings on Earth. The butterflies are threatening to erupt from each student before they even make it to the door. Despite seriously contemplating dropping out and becoming a hermit at least a hundred times, everyone made it. It's finally time to kick back, celebrate and relax for the longest, happiest break of the school year.
