As students enter the second semester of the 2021-2022 school year, some are feeling stressed, hopeless and undetermined. The cause seems to be unclear, although simple: students are experiencing second-semester blues.
One of the leading causes of this feeling is the dread of returning after winter break. Students are returning to new, high-demand classes after having a fun-filled vacation. There are feelings of disappointment when returning to a less than exciting daily routine, with often cold and gloomy weather. To make matters worse, summer break seems impossibly far away. (www.collegeparentcentral.com)
Sometimes, school itself can be discouraging. Many college professors go through the first semester with some form of sympathy for freshmen. They take into consideration that students are unacclimated to college, so they attempt to make the transition from high school as easy as possible. However, for the second semester, professors have higher expectations. Additionally, the student’s grades might not have been what they were aiming for, causing an additional dread to return to classes and try again. (www.students.ubc.ca)
 The final main cause of the second term blues is a personal life, or lack thereof. Many students are swamped with homework, studying and jobs. They do not have the time to take care of individual needs or hang out with friends. Having too many things on their plate, students not feeling like they can relax or take time to themselves can take a serious toll on their mental health.
The best way to beat this mindset is to plan a routine on a day-to-day basis. Students can look at the time in a day that is not dedicated to classes or a job and utilize that time wisely. They can set a time that can be set aside to work on homework and studying so that the workload can be spread out through the week. This is best so that procrastination is less likely, and all of a week’s work will not be piled high at one time. (www.theodysseyonline.com)
In the time remaining, students should make plans for themselves. Whether the time is spent hanging out with friends or family or relaxing on their own, this time is vital for a student. Downtime can give students the mental and physical break that they need and deserve.
Another good way to deal with these feelings is to talk about them. Friends and family should be great people to discuss these feelings with. If students are not comfortable talking about the blues to friends and family, Jones College does offer a counselor. To make an appointment with the counselor, visit https://www.jcjc.edu/counseling/.
Although returning to the second semester may cause negative feelings, it is possible to overcome them. The best way to tackle an issue is to know what causes the problem and to respond appropriately. To overcome the second-semester blues, students should plan according to their schedule, and remember to include time to themselves.
by Jennifer Shirley
