Midterm Season

It’s that season: Spooky SZN! 

Although it’s October and Halloween is quickly approaching, that is not the spooky season I’m referring to. 

It’s midterm season. 

My first midterm season at UNC almost killed me. My first exam was at the end of September, and I did extremely well! I thought that test was going to set the tone for the midterms that were in the next couple of weeks. 

I couldn’t have been more wrong. 

The beginning of October 2019 was great! I had gone home to get my hair and nails done for my first dance team cocktail, and I got my first refund check. Things were going smoothly until the day after cocktail. When I got back to my room, I went straight to sleep. I knew this wasn’t a good idea considering I had two midterms that week that I needed to study for. After I woke up from my nap, I studied for the majority of the night. When I got up to go to class the next day, I was sick as a dog. Of course this would happen to me before I had to take some of my first college midterms! I had to get myself together because I knew these exams were a huge part of my grade. After taking both tests, I just wanted to go home. Fall break was that same week and it seemed like I was getting even more sick as the days went on. By the time Wednesday rolled around and my dad picked me up from Chapel Hill, I felt completely out of it. My midterms made me feel defeated and being sick didn’t help with that feeling at all. Although this was a rough patch in the semester, I was able to push through. 

Here I am, a year later and I’m still facing the struggles of midterm season, but for different reasons. 

WE ARE GOING TO SCHOOL IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC. 

I’m tired, overwhelmed and exhausted to say the least. This semester we don’t have a fall break, and I need it now more than ever. Even though things seem very “spooky” right now, I’m trying to find ways to take care of myself and make sure that I’m not letting school drain all of my energy. With everything that’s happening this semester, I sometimes find it hard to focus on the positive when things just seem to be so negative. But, I’m still able to find joy in my everyday life, and that is what’s most important. Whether it’s binge watching Girlfriends or New Girl or ordering Insomnia Cookies because I feel like treating myself, I always do at least one activity a day that will make me happy. 

A lot is happening this year and this semester has been one of my hardest yet, but I know I will find a way to get through it. 

I know a year from now I’ll have different struggles to face, but I’ll be able to look back at this semester to remind myself there will always be a silver lining.