A time to reflect and plan

A time to reflect

You’ve had some time to settle in at home now. The chaos of the end of the term and finals week has faded into a fuzzy blur. Most of the holiday festivities have passed. You’ve gotten some rest and reconnected with your friends and family. As the year winds down into its final days, you might be thinking about everything that has happened since last time this year. I bet a lot has happened! While you are home for break and have some time to breathe, it’s a good idea to reflect on how last term went.

The good

What went well? Maybe you got along really well with your roommates. Maybe you felt immediately at home on campus.

What was easy? Were some classes a breeze? Did you really connect with a few close friends as soon as you met them? Did you find a good fit with like-minded people in a club or organization on campus?

What did you enjoy? Was the freedom of making your own decisions and setting your own schedule one of your favorite parts of this term? Did you have a really interesting professor who you would like to take more classes from? Did you attend a fun event or find a new favorite coffee shop?

Who did you spend time with? Did you spend most of your time in your dorm or apartment with roommates? Were you really involved in a club or Greek life? Did you get bogged down in one of your classes and meet with a study group frequently?

What did you do to maintain your physical and mental health? Did you play a varsity or intramural sport? Did you use the rec center? Are you in a part of the country where you can get outside and go for a run?

What did you do to maintain your grades and succeed academically? Did you have a consistent study schedule which worked for you? Did you find a place with just the right amount of distraction to do your work? Did you attend classes regularly?

The bad

What didn’t go well? Did you not get along with a roommate? Were you homesick at the beginning of the term? Did you have trouble managing your time? Were you really stressed?

What were your biggest challenges? Were your classes harder than you though they would be? Was it hard to find something you wanted to eat in the dining hall? Did you feel like you just didn’t fit in?

What did you want to do but not have time to do? Are there clubs or sports on campus which you would like to join? Do you want to get a work study job? Did you get behind on your classes and have to say no to fun social opportunities to stay in and work?

What support services would have made things easier? Would you benefit from a tutor in a difficult subject? Do you need some help from a writing lab to understand how to do research and reference your sources? Do you just need someone to talk to and might benefit from a trip to the counseling center? Are those support services available on your campus?

The future

What are your biggest concerns about next term? Are you worried about being homesick again? Are you still feeling burned out from fall term and don’t know how you are going to get your energy and enthusiasm back before you return to campus?

Are there specific courses you are worried about? Do you have a class or two which sound really intimidating? Are you getting into higher level courses in your major? Do you need to take a required gen-ed class which is far outside of your comfort zone?

Are you happy with your living conditions and roommates? Was there conflict heading into the end of the term? Are you able to get enough sleep and feel comfortable in your own space? If you are living in an apartment, is your landlord a pain?

What are you most looking forward to? Are there friends you are looking forward to spending more time with? Are there events on campus which sound like fun? Will you be getting to know new people in a fraternity or sorority you rushed in the fall?

What opportunities will you have to do new things? Are there clubs or organizations you want to join? Are there internships you want to apply to for the summer? Will you be starting a new work study job?

The plan

Some of those questions probably triggered a bigger emotional response than others. What do those responses tell you about yourself and your college experience? How can you use what you learned last term to make next term even better?

What is your plan for next term? Do you need to talk to an advisor about switching majors? Do you need to change your study habits to be more productive? Do you need to find a new place to live? Do you need to make some different friends or get involved in new activities outside of class?

How can you make sure you are playing to your strengths? Doing things which you are naturally good at will make your life so much easier and more enjoyable! Intentionally incorporating your strengths into your daily routine will help keep you motivated and energized.

How will you incorporate aspects of things which went well into next term’s activities? Can you take another class with a professor you really liked or in the same subject area you enjoyed? Can you get a study group you enjoyed working with last term together again for a different class? Can you get more involved in a club you liked being part of?

Who do you need to contact about getting the support you need for next term? There are so many resources on college campuses to help you succeed. Sometimes you need to do some leg work to find the right people to help you though. While you are home over break, think about what support you need and then do some research on your school’s website. Find out who you need to contact once you get back to campus and where their office is located.