Not everyone keeps a countdown until the end of summer. Some of us actually prefer our summer lives at home more than our student lives on campus. In my case, being in the city is the best part of my year. I work part time and spend every other minute enjoying what New York has to offer. Night life begins whenever you choose and doesn’t have to end until six am, if you’re doing things right. Your days can be spent at home with family, in coffee shops and restaurants with friends, or just walking through the city streets on your own, taking in the chaos with your headphones on full blast. With a summer like this, I feel as if it’s reasonable not to desire its conclusion. Being at school has its perks – good people, more independence, and inspiring professors. However, it also has its stresses. The start of school mostly means an influx of deadlines, all-night cram sessions, exhaustion, poorly picked food, and boxed wine. So, if this is how you see things – I might have some tips for you.
1. Try not to cover your dorm walls with pictures of home.
This will just remind you of where you’re not and keep you from embracing the present. As much as you may prefer to imagine that you’re still in summer mode and doing summer things, pretending will only make it harder to enjoy the moment.
2. Remind yourself that you’re here to learn, not just to pass.
Sometimes it’s hard to remember that the point of an education isn’t actually to meet deadlines and pass exams. The point is to learn from the resources and people who have knowledge to offer. Deadlines, essays, exams, and meetings are just a part of the student occupation. While the job of being a student and the acquiring of an education go hand in hand, they are not the same in meaning or execution. But when you forget the difference between the two, it becomes harder to successfully manage either.
3. Be open to meeting new people.
If you’ve already finished your freshman year, chances are, you know which friends will be waiting to greet you the second you step foot on campus – which is always a nice feeling. Seeing those you’ve missed for the past three months feels fulfilling. But a good way to keep from feeling like school can’t be better than your summer life is reminding yourself that this semester can become something entirely different than previous years. Be open to meeting new people and experiencing new things – that’s usually what makes summer so great anyway.
