the blues

You know what I love about the first day of school?............

Yeah, me neither.

Quite honestly, the first day of class sucks. There's no parking, every single class takes 52 minutes to go over a 20 page syllabus, someone always takes the good seats by the window, the cafeteria is packed, the bookstore is packed, the hallways are packed, and one callus teacher will have homework assigned that's due in 2 days.

But no worries, this will pass. In two weeks, you will be able to park within eye-sight of a building, the class will be into the assigned coursework, and the person who sits by the window will probably drop out.

The average college student, especially a returning student, will most likely encounter a period of diminished spirits and lackluster efforts. I call this "the blues." The blues often strike during the first week of school, following in the wake of the stressful first day. Returning to the monotonous grind of schoolwork following weeks of vacation and free time is borderline depressing. Plus (depending on what part of the country you're in) the weather is often dreary. All in all, trudging around under the weight of a newly loaded backpack becomes increasingly difficult.

The blues do not necessarily last very long. However, the period that they do stay seems to take years. Homework, if completed at all, is done so in a lackluster manner; work is sluggish and slow, and free time drags on with little to no motivation. Eventually, school settles in, work returns to normal, and the blues start to dissipate.

Sadly, once the blues are gone, you are still in the middle of a long semester. Hopefully you will build up momentum and tackle each new assignment with enthusiasm. Most likely though, you will settle into a stressful rut where you procrastinate, cram, and lose sleep over last minute assignments.

Join the club.