For students, the first week back after winter break can seem really stressful. They are getting back into the routine of school as well as starting all of their new classes. They are being overrun by syllabi and scrambling to get the materials needed for their classes, so it is not uncommon for students to fall behind in the first week.
“I believe students don’t take the first couple of days or weeks seriously,” Amber McVaugh, a sophomore psychology and business administration major, said. “I myself do, but I was raised to be at the ready.”
Coming back after almost a full month of break may be difficult for some students to get back into the swing of things. However, sometimes a slower start is what is necessary to get them back on track.
“I think students create their own pace of work, which can help them feel more organized,” Alexis Cunningham, a senior political science major, said. “I suppose it depends on the class pace.”
Students have also figured out some tricks and techniques of their own to help get them back into the routine of school.
Being prepared for that first week is alway important.
“I use organization as a power tool because it allows me to finish my work in a timely manner,” Cunningham said.
It is also important to head back into classes with the right mindset.
“I think it’s better to organize before going back, and to not view the first week as ‘syllabus week,’” McVaugh said.
“Syllabus week,” as students often call it, can be really stressful, especially for first year students because they are having a lot of new information thrown at them in a very short amount of time.
On top of all of that information, professors will also start assigning work, sometimes on the first day so there is not even time to ease their way back into it.
Students will also sometimes get swept up in being back at school and forget about the school work. They are excited to see their friends again and excited to be back away from home again. This sometimes means that academics will take a back seat to some students’ social lives which is a contributing factor in students not taking the first couple of days or weeks seriously.
Even though some students may drag their feet a little, ultimately most people end up getting back on track before long and they continue strong throughout the semester. “Just be yourself and get super involved in activities on campus,” Cunningham said.
“There’s nothing like being on your toes and surrounding yourself with challenges.”
