Listen Here
By Kelsey Nevius
@KelNevs
It’s the end of the second week of the semester, and for me at least, I’m falling back into the routine of college. By routine, I mean going to classes, going to work, doing an exorbitant amount of homework, and then trying to get enough sleep to do all of the above somewhat functionally and productively again the next day. Hopefully, you’re in the same boat as me, or doing even better than I am. Beginning a new semester is always plagued by expectations of how and what you’ll do. The main difference between last semester and this one, especially for our freshman, is that you kind of know what to expect. You’ve gone to some classes, worked yourself up to handling lab reports and long papers, and dealt with the sleep deprivation. The bad thing, though, is that this semester isn’t entirely like the last: your body and mind are undergoing different things this time around.
So, what changes? Well, according to Arizona State University’s “Stress Periods for Students,” your stress levels will be determined by different factors depending on the time of year and what’s happening in the month. This is especially important to Findlay freshman, since this is their first home away from home. We’re all fairly depressed that we have to make the journey from home back to school again, but some students may feel stress over their upcoming academic schedule. Previous grades from the fall semester may also play a part, and some students may be worried about their academics because of their grades in the first semester. Along with that, you’re bound to take one or two classes you won’t necessarily like, making the return of the semester seem even more dreadful.
By the time we hit February, though, I have a feeling that people will perk up a bit. Chances are, you’ll find that the classes you have this semester are easier or less stressful than the first semester. You’ll meet people in your classes to hang out with, or at the very least, share in the pain of that class with. Sadly, the optimism can only last for so long. With midterms coming up right before a much needed break, don’t take the semester for granted. After Spring Break occurs, the pressure’s back on to get through the semester with good grades. And even after all of that, there’s the stress that comes with the end of the year finals, and the worry about finding a summer job until school starts back up once again.
This all seems overwhelming, kind of like getting that ten-page syllabus that lists all the things you’ll have to do before the semester is over. Something to keep in mind is that it’s all paced out; hopefully at some point during the semester, you won’t have overwhelming stress like you might have had in the fall. Stress and anxiety are bound to happen to everyone at some point in their college careers, but when it becomes a problem for your overall physical or mental health, that’s when you need time to de-stress. Take time out of your day to just relax for a bit instead of continuing to work on homework or stressing about a test. Remember, you’ve finished the fall semester, you can see the light at the end of the road for spring semester, and all you have to do is keep going.
http://www.asu.edu/studentaffairs/counseling/documents/Stress_Periods.pdf https://www.ecu.edu/cs-studentaffairs/studenttransitions/upload/Student-Concerns-by-Month.pdf
