This week I am experiencing a difficulty that I know is not unique to me: the struggle of returning to work after a long period of relaxation. After nine whole days of doing practically nothing, apart from that which I chose myself, it takes a lot of energy and willpower to get started on all the schoolwork that I should finish, lest I suffer the consequences.
While the obvious answer seems to be something along the lines of “simply pick yourself up and get started,” it is not that easy. Though short-lived, my spring break was practically worry-free and I got used to that lifestyle very quickly. I would wake up whenever I wanted and treat myself to a day of rewatching episodes of “Community” and finally making my way to the end of “Metal Gear Solid.”
The return from spring break has been rougher than the one from winter break even though, on paper, it should be more of an adjustment to come back from a whole month free from classes. While I was away from class during winter break, I was not free from responsibility, as I spent a significant portion of my time working as a lifeguard at my local rec center. If anything, the return to school lightened my load. The adjustment was also easier because of the lighter workload at the beginning of the semester. Most (not all, but most) professors take the first class or two to give an overview to students, giving about a week to ease into the rhythm of a new semester.
Spring break does not come with such luxury. Professors will keep up business as usual, not slowing down classes in the slightest. Some even assign work over break which defeats the entire purpose of a break. Though I was fortunate enough to be free from work that needed to be done, I am certainly not free from it now.
After the first day of classes I was greeted by a six-page essay due Friday and a 50-page reading due Tuesday. I knew about these assignments beforehand and a wise man would have gotten a head start on them, but I never claim to be a wise man. When faced with the amount of work that I need to accomplish, it is easy for me to get tired and simply put off all of my assignments to a later unspecified time. For better or for worse, I can’t do that forever.
Since I’ve posed this issue that many students face, I might as well suggest some solutions as well. My first suggestion is to ease yourself into work. Take a look at everything you need to do and start off with something on the easier side. For me, it was this column. After taking care of that, you’ll likely be in a more productive headspace and be able to tackle something on a larger scale.
My next piece of advice is to find your process and trust it. I’ve found that breaks are an important part of my personal work process, but it’s different for every person! Find whatever works for you, stick to it and don’t feel bad for not studying the “correct” way. If it works, there’s nothing incorrect about it.
Work often sucks and can be immensely draining on a person’s mental state. While I wish there was an easy way to change it, I can not think of one. However, whether we like it or not, it continues and, with any luck, we can continue to survive it and make it through to the other side.
