By Amy Rudolph
Web Editor
Coming back after any school break can be tough. Those four glorious days of fall break spent doing nothing or everything imaginable can take a toll on students trying to get back in the groove of school.
The first step to getting back in the swing of things is regulating your sleep schedule. Whether you went to bed at 8p.m. or at 6a.m. or woke up at 4:30 in the afternoon, you have to reset your internal clock. Staying up all hours of the night or oversleeping will do nothing for you and make it harder to fall back into your rhythm, especially once you go back to class.
Speaking of class, now would be a great time to start going. Fall break occurs in the middle of midterm season. Open up Canvas and make sure you aren’t in too rough of shape. If your grades aren’t so great, check your professors’ office hours and schedule a quick meeting. If meeting with your professor doesn’t fill in enough of the blanks, you can make a tutoring appointment on the Office of Academic Skills’ website. Reviewing class policies and the assignment calendar is also a great idea so no projects or exams sneak up on you. Filling in your planner or calendar with coming assignments can help you stay on track.
Another thing to put in your planner is all your extracurriculars. The week coming back can be extra crazy, so make sure not to forget to go to clubs, work, and other obligations.
If all these extras become too much, take the week off. At the end of this potentially stressful time, plan a night for yourself and your friends to just catch up and have a restful night. If that doesn’t help, don’t be afraid to go to Health and Counseling Services and make an appointment with one of the counselors. Talking out your stresses and anxieties can go a long way. Many students feel anxiety about returning, so you won’t be alone.
Sometimes it’s great to get off campus for the day, especially after taking a big exam or writing a long paper. You can take the weekend shuttle to the metro or Annapolis to get a taste of city living. Seeing a few sites or going to a museum can be the perfect stress reliever.
If you are more inclined to staying on campus this weekend, Kappa Sigma is holding their annual pancake breakfast on Saturday, Oct. 21 at Emmanuel Episcopal Church. For just $5 you can have all you can eat pancakes and other breakfast foods surrounded by friends. If pancakes aren’t your style, just sleep through breakfast and recharge for the weeks ahead. You’re halfway there.