Blog 8: What Does the Next Semester Look Like for You?
We have now completed Freshman Year by Sarah Mai. Unlike you, she has completed her first full semester while you are quickly approaching completion of your first semester. As you look forward to spring semester, how do you see your experiences possibly lining up with Sarah’s? What challenges do you think you’ll face in the upcoming semester? Will spring break be on your radar from day one? Do you already have plans for spring break? Do you have plans for your summer already: traveling, working, internship, vegging?
Think through how you think your upcoming semester will reflect of differ from Sarah’s.
blog post 8
When reading freshman year. Sarah has now finished her first semester. Although she has completed her first semester I am still currently in mine. I have started looking forward to the next semester to get prepared. I knew I needed to register for spring classes as did Sarah. I had some difficulty when scheduling for class. Although I did not forget to register when the time came for me to pick classes a lot of the ones I wanted or needed were already full. This was due to the fact that freshman resister for class last while upperclassman and honor get first pick. I do have another meeting with my advisor to find more classes. The professors I have talked to along with my advisor have been extremely helpful.
Another thing though about as we are reaching the end of the semester is final exams. I have extreme anxiety and adhd so I tend to procraceniate when it comes to studying. I worry about not be quite prepared. I will be looking into recourses and study habit to begin so I can do well on all of my finals.
I am already counting down the days for spring break. I plan to spend most of it with my friends out of town and the rest with my friends and family from home.
I have also already started planning for the summer. I plan to continue with the job I have had for the past 3 years. I also will be visiting my best friend in South Carolina a lot. I hope to also take a few summer classes. I will spend the remainder of my times in my hometown with my friends and family.
I am excited to finish the semester, but I am also looking forward breaks.
Dear Writer,
Like you I have also started looking forward to the spring semester, however I am trying not to take my foot off the gas as we have still not completed this semester. I am trying my hardest to finish strong but it is deffintley a bit hard as classes have now ramped up and we are in the final stretch.
Luckily I also did not miss or sleep through class registration. It is definitely a hindrance to freshman that they pick classes last and I know a lot of my friends and classmates had trouble getting all the classes they wanted or needed. Many of them had to make appointments with their advisors too so that they could finish completing their schedules. Unlike your experience they said that their advisor had not been super helpful. Sadly their is only so much the advisors can do as classes sometimes are just too full to let other students in. I was blessed to get the first time slot for registration so I luckily had minimal issues getting my classes.
Like you I am also a little stressed for final exams. I am not used to tests and finals having so much weight towards my final grade which makes me worry that if I don’t do well I will finish with a worse grade than I think I deserve. I haven’t really thought about spring break too much as it seems pretty far away to me. I also plan to continue my job over the summer at the golf course near me. I plan to go to St. Pete beach in Florida and visit my family down there. Hopefully I won’t need to take any summer classes but if I do I won’t be too pressed over them considering it would only be one or two classes.
Best of luck to you as we finish out the semester,
Cullen
Dear writer,
I really connected with what you said, especially about the anxiety and procrastination during finals. I struggle with the same thing, and it’s honestly such a stressful time trying to balance everything. I keep telling myself to stay on top of my work, but sometimes the motivation just isn’t there, especially when it feels like there’s so much to do. It’s nice knowing other people go through the same thing and are just doing their best too. I’ve been trying to find little ways to manage the stress, like taking short breaks or studying in new spots, but it’s definitely not as easy as it seems.
I also had a hard time registering for spring classes. It’s the worst when the ones you really want fill up so fast. I’m glad your advisor has been helpful though, having someone who actually listens and helps figure things out makes such a difference. I still have to meet with mine again because I have certain issues with my own schedule, and I’m hoping it all works out before the semester ends.
Your break plans sound really good. South Carolina sounds so fun, and I love that you’re spending time with your best friend and family. That’s honestly the best way to recharge after a very hectic semester. I’m looking forward to doing the same; just relaxing, catching up with people I haven’t seen in a while, and not thinking about school for a while. I think we’ve all earned this break after pushing through the stress of classes.
Good luck finishing up the semester, you got this. Try to take things one day at a time, and remember that you’re doing great even if it doesn’t always feel like it. I’m definitely counting down the days until break as well.
Angel.
Reading Freshman Year by Sarah Mai left me both comforted and a little nervous, comforted because so much of what she describes feels familiar, nervous because I can see where some of the same bumps might meet me next semester. Like Sarah, I’ve already felt that first-semester swirl: new routines, jitters before classes, and that constant balancing act between schoolwork and everything else. Her moments of doubt about fitting in and trying to keep up with coursework resonated with me. I’m a member of the cheer team and I know what it’s like to show up exhausted, push through practice, then try to focus on assignments late at night. That’s one obvious way my experience lines up with hers.
Where I think I might differ is how I handle the anxiety side of things. Sarah talks about leaning on people, and while I have a few close friends and a “school mom/dad” group that helps anchor me in the mornings, I still have shutdowns from anxiety sometimes. I’m learning to reach out more to professors and classmates when I need help, but that’s an ongoing process. Time management will be huge next semester: juggling practices, classes, and keeping up with study habits (I study a lot; sometimes until midnight) means I need to be better about planning rest so I don’t burn out.
Spring break? Absolutely on my radar from day one. It’s a mental milestone for me; just knowing there’s a week to reset helps with motivation. I don’t have solid plans yet, probably a low-key break: catching up on sleep, spending time with my dogs, and maybe hanging out with a couple friends. For summer, I’m hoping to work (maybe a campus job or something related to my work-study) and save a little, I’m expecting some birthday money and would love to put that toward something practical. I’m also open to a short trip if money and timing line up.
Overall, I expect my spring semester to mirror Sarah’s in the emotional ups and downs of being a freshman, but I hope it differs in that I’ll intentionally prioritize rest and ask for help earlier. I want to enter spring more prepared for the push, but also kinder to myself when things don’t go perfectly.