As much as we’d like to admit that we start and end the semester with the same motivation and drive, that doesn’t seem to be the case for many of us college students. The first week we seem to have it all together. No big deal we go this, stick to the schedule, study hard, play hard, blah blah blah. But that whole mindset seems to go down the drain a couple weeks into the semester. So here are five differences between the first week of classes and the rest of the semester.
1. “Outfit on fleek” vs. “Is this even clean?”
Our first few days of class we find ourselves trying to dress to impress. We have the energy to get up and get ready. Maybe we even plan out our outfits the night before if we’re really feeling like a go-getter. And then things slowly begin to get a little less impressive. Sweats become more of a norm and before we know it we’re putting on old T-shirts hoping that they were washed at some point.
2. “Early bird gets the worm” vs. “I hit snooze five times this morning”
We start out the semester strong by getting up early getting some coffee and breakfast in our systems and maybe even accounting for some time to sit down and watch the news. We’re really adulting, until that one late night throws us off for the whole semester. That early morning alarm is a more dreadful sound than usual and after hitting the snooze button five times we realize we better get out of bed if we even want to make it to class, let alone on time.
3. “I read the chapters and took notes last night” vs. “Oh shit we were supposed to read?”
After reviewing our syllabus on the first day we get right to work and spend the night reading carefully. Highlighting, tabbing, and post-its oh my! We are just killing it this semester, and there seems to be no chance of us ever getting behind with the reading. And then that one night when exhaustion has hit and you decide that a nap is better for your health than reading is when all hell breaks loose. You wake up the next day to find that you’ve fallen behind and were supposed to read 5 textbooks, 2 editions of the encyclopedia, and a dictionary cover to cover.
4. “Working on my fitness she’s my witness” vs. “Uh yeah about the gym…”
It’s happened to a bunch of us. We sit down look at our class schedules and pencil in gym time, which we swear to religiously follow. And we do, for the first few weeks. We get our cardio in and a little lifting and we’re doing really great. Until we get home from class one day and realize “oh darn I have to do laundry or watch five episodes of Orange is the New Black so I guess I can’t make the gym today.