Eight a.m. classes, expensive books, homework, exams.
Could it really be time to go back to school?
Summer is over and school is starting, but there is no need to worry about those back-to-school blues.
Most students suffer from annual “does school really have to begin?” stress. There are mixed emotions during those dreaded first weeks. Students are happy to see college friends and roommates, but sad to leave family and friends back home.
No matter what the feelings are, they are all tied to the same aura of that first day of class.
Everyone gets butterflies as they sit down in class. A sea of new faces surrounds the classroom and the anticipation of a new professor ways heavily on the students.
There is also that dreaded first day ritual of introductions. No one likes going around the room referring to themselves as “Anxious Anne.”
The first day of school blues gets worse. It is now time for the syllabus. A stack of papers contains the outline of the work one will be doing all semester. Questions pop into the student’s head: What materials are we covering in this class? What type of assignments will be given? Is the professor a tough grader? Is there a final?
Once classes are over, it is time to venture to the bookstore. This is always an adventure because of the long lines and the countless number of people who swarm into the raging beehive.
Sure, that might have seemed like a bit of an exaggeration, but even so, the first week can be utterly tiring and stressful.
Although there are hurdles to jump over, there are some ways to alleviate some of these early semester jitters.
Try to prepare a few months ahead of time, to alleviate some of the back to school mayhem. Many students pre-order their books online or buy them somewhere else. Students should buy supplies and be ready when going into the classroom and meeting the professors.
Make sure to leave time for yourself: relax, go to the gym, or meet some friends for coffee.
These are just a few ways to make the back to school blues an annual custom of the past.