The Spring Semester Prep List for Literature Students
The spring season will begin in March, but it's a different thing in colleges. Between the month of March and the beginning of summer is the spring semester. It's not overshadowed, as this period is packed with paper writing and examinations. Literature students would do more. Not a few students may be inclined to be disengaged and overwhelmed, but they shouldn't. They need to be more serious about their studies instead.
It's not hard to imagine Literature students struggling during this time of the term (and spring is around the corner). In the case of freshmen, they have settled after the first few months of the term. They may have overcome the month of December, also packed with essays and examinations, so a slump would be expected after the Christmas holiday. It's a different case with sophomore students, as a repeat of this routine could be a cause for angst. They could be reminded of Horace McCoy's "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?", which is widely read in existentialist circles in France; the participants of a dance marathon, all desperate to enter Hollywood, found out that it would be a dance of the damned. Students who are about to deal with food insecurity could relate to it, but it would be understandable to harbor negative thoughts at this stage of the term. (And the Great Depression is not so yesterday.) If you happen to be one of those students, then there are a few things to do.
It would be silly to plan a sudden vacation, but you could take a break from social media and the reading of news. (You may not be interested at the impeachment trial at this point.) The freedom of not knowing can be an experience of liberation, even for several minutes. (In this regard, you must forget about the upcoming Academy Awards, the titles you miss in the reading list, and essay writing topics.) Second, you might have forgotten that your department provides support to those who are overwhelmed by the course work. You can't suffer in silence. If you're haven't reached that stage (or you're too proud to admit your struggles), then seek assistance. You certainly need to clarify on certain points. Last but not the least, meditate on your motivation. A change of perspective on your studies could spurn you to study harder or lose your interest. It's not hard to notice the signs of a slump, which would be alarming if you happen to be on your final year. (Forget about job hunting at the moment.) After you sort it out, it's about time that you plan your routine during the spring semester (or the second phase of the spring semester for some universities). Common writing mistakes may (or may not) be an issue, but it's not your main concern at the moment.
3 Ways to Succeed during the Hectic (Spring) Semester
Discuss your expectations with your tutor (or other students), which will help you maximize the spring semester. Don't expect your department to give you a grand welcome after Easter, which could lift your spirits (and motivate you during the remainder of spring). You still have free time this month (of February), which you must schedule accordingly. Arrange a meeting with your tutor, where you could talk about doing better during the spring semester. You must assess your performance, and then come up with a list of what areas where there's a need for improvement. It won't take an entire day to do it. Support would ensure that your optimism is on a high.
Keep the subject alive by encouraging yourself - and others. Pep talk is the only thing you need, and you can do it as often as you can. (Think about the athletes getting pumped up.) You can do the same thing to your roommate or dorm mate or course mate, but don't expect to return the favor. (Any random act of kindness would make you feel good. And it should motivate you.) You can also crack jokes, if not reveal your self-depreciation to others. It hardly matters if they don’t get it. They might be tired, if not distracted by lectures and papers.
There's no progress if you stay in your comfort zone. You might not like struggling, which would be a cause for complain on many occasions. Struggles would make you develop your so-called "backbone", which you have learned from plays like Herb Gardner's. (And you fancy the scene of a happy-go-lucky nonconformist often reminding his twelve-year-old nephew that he's not a chair.) You can always shout out for help, but remember that you might have traits that you would be unaware until the stern test.
Slump Phenomenon Untangled
Whether or not you’re an academic-driven teenager, it would be important to keep a close eye on your performance. Focus if you’re losing your motivation, but Literature students would have to do more. Why do you like writing and reading? If the answer won’t be good enough, then think of how New York looked accommodating back then. Imagining would do wonders, which was the case of (novelist) Betty Smith. Her masterpiece, “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn”, is an illustration of the realization of a dream through sheer tenacity. And you have an easy path compared to hers.
