The holidays are over, and it is January, which guarantees two things: winter is here and school is back in session. For some of us, this is good news because we’ve been longing for something to do, we can reunite with friends, and leave behind the monotony of home life. But for others, there is some hesitation with returning to school. Of course, there is a desire to see friends and return to life on campus. But after a month of vacation and not having to flex any academic muscles, refocusing presents of a challenge.
When we are in school, we are desperate for any break. And when we are out of school, we want to go back. Nine times out of ten, it is not because we are excited about the classes we are enrolled in, but because we miss our friends, our extracurriculars and living independently. But what I am proposing is a shift in that mindset – a shift that will, hopefully, allow us to be excited about returning to the entire college experience (academics included). When I was in high school, I would always tell my parents how I wanted to get a job to help out the household. However, every time I mentioned it to them, they would remind me that I already had a job, and that job was school. As cliché as it sounds, it is the truth. It’s natural to want to be involved on campus, and to want to hang out with friends – but the key is not to lose sight of the reason you are there in the first place. If you find yourself dreading returning to classes, remember that “class” is the reason you’re there, first and foremost. College is a multifaceted experience comprised of finding yourself, building lifelong friendships, creating change, and joining clubs, but it is, also, about getting an education so that you might be prepared for life after college in the “real world”.
If you are still not inspired, still not looking forward to returning to the academic rigor of college, tap into why you’re even there. For some of us growing up, college was not so much an option as it was an expectation. Independent of that, I had my own reasons for wanting to go to college. Not only did I want to grow as a writer and build upon my skills, but because of my ancestors.
Knowing the history of my ancestors being denied education, I was that much more determined to seek a college education for myself, to receive the very thing that my ancestors were denied. That is my reason for going to college and why I am driven to get back into the swing of things academically. It is up to you to remind yourself why you’re there, and allow that to drive you, to get you out of bed when you can’t seem to do it yourself. The best way to refocus after the holidays is to remember why you started.
