Winter break … it was fun while it lasted. Whether you were ready to escape your family and head back to college or you never wanted your vacation to end, all college students must face the fact that class is back in session.
So how can you make the transition a little bit easier? With some valuable life hacks paving your way!
Time to go back to college when…
Sleeping in, home cooking and hanging with the family—all are the positives that come with winter break. When the luster of all that starts to fade, you know it is time to pack up and head back to the dorms. Kate Zasowski compiled a quick life hacks list of “15 Signs You’re Ready To Go Back To College After Winter Break” in her buzzfeed.com post on January 18, 2014, to help you be sure when you’ve worn out your welcome with mom and dad. Here are the top five:
- You start to feel weird in the shower if you aren’t wearing flip-flops.
- “Some nights your dreams take place in your school’s library,” Zasowski wrote.
- Sleeping in no longer seems as awesome as it did that first morning.
- You called one of your parents “professor” at dinner.
- Boredom has driven you to visit your old high school.
What to bring back from winter break
Life hacks 101—be smart and plan ahead. If you did this, you probably brought some things home from school at winter break that you no longer needed. But college students should also prepare for the rest of winter and their spring semester by knowing what to bring backto college. “The Top 10 Things to Bring Back With You From Winter Break” posted on hercampus.com by Heather Rinder on January 11, 2014, gave some recommendations:
- Gifts and gift cards. Did you get some cool gifts for Christmas? Don’t forget to pack them to take back with you. Same with any gift cards you received. If you don’t have them, you can’t use them.
- Winter weather gear. Maybe your college is located on the equator, but if not, you will probably need some clothes for colder temperatures.
- Spring break attire. If you don’t plan on visiting home again before spring break, be sure to bring along some warm weather outfits, too—if you think you will be heading somewhere sunny.
- Food from home. Your grandma’s homemade cookies never get old, do they? So stock up on your fave goodies for those days when you are missing home.
How to get back on track
Last, but certainly not least, once you have established you are ready to go back to college and have packed the essentials, college students need to know some life hacks for how to get readjusted to classes and college life in general. Think back to what you did at the start of fall semester, or follow Kaitlyn Taylor’s suggestions in “How To Get Back On Track After Winter Break” for collegehelper.com:
- Eat right. Sticking with or renewing your efforts to consume a well-balanced diet, light on the junk food, heavy on the fruits and veggies, will help you stay healthy and focused in class.
- Keep moving. Sure it may be cold outside, but make sure you keep up your exercise routine. It will help you combat stress.
- Establish a routine. “It may be difficult to adjust to a new class schedule, but try your best to keep your body balanced by waking up, eating, and exercising around the same time every day,” Taylor wrote.
- Have some goals. Think about what you would like to accomplish this semester. Maybe bumping up your GPA? Joining a campus group? Cutting back to one coffee a day?
- Check the socializing. You’ve missed all your friends, but know when you have caught up enough, and don’t let yourself get behind in class because of too much socializing.