Adjusting to (School) Life Again…

Well, here we are… the beginning of the spring semester. I feel like it’s been both forever and not nearly long enough, all at the same time. I think there’s something about coming back to school after the winter break that feels more challenging than starting in the fall. Maybe it has to do with the cold, the dark, the yummy holiday comfort food… but something about coming back to school following this break and getting back in the groove of student life has been particularly daunting. Add in the fact that we started out the semester with a snow day only one week in, and my body and brain are like, “Yep! Let’s just cancel the whole thing and try again in the fall!”, while some small part of my brain that seems unaffected by the winter lethargy is saying, “No, no, no! We have goals! Dreams! Things to accomplish! Come on! Get it together!”

That little cheerleading corner of my consciousness is what is keeping me going so far. I’m running purely on some inner-dialogue that is encouraging me to keep going, despite the fact that the recent polar vortex has me just wanting to hibernate until it’s flip-flop weather again. Regardless of the “how”, the fact is I am here and as ready as I can be to conquer this semester. I’m just shy of full-time status this semester, and with a full-time job, a part-time job, a recently-turned 4 year old (!!!), and a spouse that I try to give at least a little bit of time and attention to, this semester is shaping up to be super-busy and super-amazing.

I already have a favorite teacher so far (but I won’t say who!) and I’m also already practically buried in reading and assignments designed to stretch my creativity and grow my skills. And I’m starting to recover from the “that book costs HOW much?!?!?” shock. Ultimately, once the rest of my brain catches up, I’ll be looking forward to all the great things that await me for this semester. But even as I look forward to school resuming, there’s also lots of things that I will miss about winter break. Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Reading for pleasure – As a parent of a young child, I admit that I don’t have much time to read for pleasure anymore, but any time that I DID have is now completely and hopelessly tossed aside in favor of the stack of aforementioned textbooks next to me.
2. Saturdays – During the semester, Saturdays are mostly devoted to my school work: catching up on any reading, finishing up any writing or quizzes, etc. While we were on break, I had the whole day on Saturdays to do whatever I wanted!
3. The absence of Blackboard – If you take any classes online, you know that you Blackboard is your entire life (well, school life anyway). You don’t do anything without first checking Blackboard. Not having to check-in was pretty awesome.
4. Christmas – ok, ok… this one isn’t specific to school per se. But Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year. I love the lights and the music…. and the cookies! And winter break means Christmas.

How did you spend your winter break, and how are you handling the “re-entry” into student life?