Welcome back from break (ugh). If you’re like me—or any other person I’ve talked to in the last two weeks—then you might be feeling a bit “bleh” since coming back to school. Somehow, the month-long winter break felt both too long and too short—long enough that you forget what it’s like to be doing homework all day, but not long enough to make you so bored that you are eager to do so again.
Although I love being at school—and you very well may too—being thrown back into work so quickly has put me in a bit of a slump. Motivating is hard any day, and it can be even harder when the memory of lying around all day is so fresh in your mind. So, to get you back in the collegiate-spirit, here are a couple things that could help you ease your slump a little bit before the semester picks up its speed.
Plan themed hangouts with your friends
Rather than just lounging around in each other’s rooms and chatting (which is equally fun), instead plan some activities for you to do with your friends. Plan a movie night, or a game night, or get all dressed up and go on a “Friend Date.” (You can even plan to chat in each other’s rooms, but give it a cool name like “Tea Time” or something.) Being around people you like is a great way to snap yourself out of the Post-Winter Break Slump, but planning to do something specific can make you feel productive and impressive, rather than make you feel like you didn’t accomplish much.
Go into Philly!
I never go into Philly because it seems like such a hassle, however going it is way easier than I thought! Bring a friend who knows the city well, or use this as an excuse to get some alone time; either way, exploring somewhere other than the 200 acres of your college is a nice way to hit “restart.”
Go to the gym
This one is very hypocritical of me to write because I never go to the gym. However, since returning from break I have been going to the gym as a way to procrastinate on my homework, and turns out it’s great! Many of you probably go to the gym all the time, but if you don’t, work it into your schedule as often as possible. It makes me feel all cool and productive, and boosts my energy so I can get work done (there’s probably some science behind that, I just don’t know it).
Spend time on the other campuses
It can be such a nice change of scenery to simply spend an hour or two at another campus. If you’re a Bryn Mawr student, try studying in Lutnick; if you’re at Haverford, maybe grab some ice cream from New Dorm. Or maybe even take the van up to Swarthmore one day (gasp!). This can be a nice way to interrupt the not-so-good routines you may have started to form.
Deep clean your room
This can be a great way to reset your vibes after break, especially if you spend a lot of time doing work in your room. This can also be an excuse to put on a TV show or podcast in the background while you work (just sayin’).
Journal
Pretty self-explanatory, but journaling or writing in a diary can be a nice way to figure out how you’re feeling and why.
Sign up for a new club
There are so many clubs on our campuses, and I guarantee there will be something that interests you. You don’t have to commit to anything, but joining a club can be a great way to find new things you’re interested in, meet some new people and add more structure to your week.
