Returning to school after the long winter break was a minor hurdle for me. While I was a little sad to lose my free time, I was very excited to return to campus and have a busy schedule. 

Forty-six days passed between Nov. 19 (the end of the autumn quarter) and Jan. 4 (the start of the winter quarter), and I spent those days either working or watching television.

However, once January arrived, I knew it was time to transition back into the academic mindset. Returning back to structured routines intimidated many students, including sophomore Logan Greene. 

When he thought about returning to campus, he found that the weather made returning feel “a little daunting.’’

An academic challenge that he anticipated at the start of the quarter was the idea of “getting back into an academic mindset.’’ 

“The hardest part for me is just getting over the feeling of being on break,” Greene said. “Once I attend a few classes and engage in discussions, the rhythm will come back to me.”

While I found the return to the habits I created in the autumn quarter as my method, Greene intends to set aside time each day for studying to create a routine. 

“I’m planning to build momentum by tackling smaller tasks early,’’ Greene said. “I plan to utilize early mornings and late evenings to get all my assignments done.”

He was excited to see friends and start his classes. However, he did feel hesitant about leaving home. He felt that college life was remote. 

“It’s almost like starting fresh, which is both exciting and nerve-wracking,’’ Greene said. 

Though it is “nerve-wracking’’ to return, Greene is staying positive. 

“I am finding myself reminded that DePaul’s community makes it worthwhile. I am trying to embrace the winter experience with a positive mindset,’’ Greene said. 

While the cold can be unbearable at times, I am also reminded of how “worthwhile’’ it is to be back. I have enjoyed seeing friends and resuming my extracurricular activities.

  Junior Joselyn Gonzalez sees a challenge in figuring out how much time to spend on her assignments. However, she does not feel overwhelmed by the return to school. 

“I think part of it is because I have a good idea of what works for me and what doesn’t,’’ Gonzalez said. 

During her first two winter breaks, she realized it makes the start of the quarter less intimidating if she plans ahead. 

Her freshman year, she wasted her free time over break watching shows and movies. This break she kept herself busy, which helps her transition to the busyness of classes. 

“This break I decided to work, go on a trip, spend more time with family and friends and focus on growing in my faith,’’ Gonzalez said. 

Gonzalez also has a plan for managing her assignments. 

“I’ll probably keep track of how long it’s taking me to complete these things and make sure that I have enough time set apart to complete them,’’ Gonzalez said. 

Time management is important to me as well. I did not feel overwhelmed about returning, but I did want to make sure I was giving myself enough time to complete assignments while also not overdoing it.

I always knew that succeeding in academics takes time and effort. I would always make sure I had time to try my best on assignments. Sometimes, I have spent too much time working on assignments by procrastinating. 

For senior Amreen Jalal, her biggest challenges have been readjusting to traffic and waking up early. At the start of the winter quarter, she reminisces about her break, which makes her dread the start of classes. 

“It is difficult to focus the first day of class because I am not yet in the environment (or) mindset of learning,’’ Jalal said. 

She tries to make to-do lists with all of her assignments and tasks, and despite the planning, there are compelling aspects of this transition.

“I think the most exciting (part) about this transition is that it puts me one step closer to graduation,’’ Jalal said. 

Jalal also said that seeing her friends has been a highlight of returning; she said she forgot how much she missed being at the university. 

Gonzalez said that it is exciting to see friends, familiar faces, and community groups.   

“It makes school feel like home away from home,’’ Gonzalez said.

For anyone who is struggling with the return, Gonzalez stated that help and advice are always accessible. 

“The school offers so many resources and many times that help, and advice can also come from the relationships we have and build with friends, peers, professors and others,’’ Gonzalez said.

You can find these DePaul resources on the Division of Student Affairs website. It lists Academic Advising for help in all aspects of a student’s curriculum. There’s also OneDePaul, where students can connect with their academic advisors, tutoring and more.

Forty-six days is a long time to take off from classes and routines. These students, and myself, had to prepare for the start of the winter quarter. While it did require effort and preparation, being on campus has reminded us of how great it is being at the university.

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