The Academic Blues

[skp]

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Greetings All -
I'd like to report a phenomenon of note and see if any else in SDN land can relate.
The months of Jan, Feb, and even March always seem to be, how shall I put this, an academic "dry time" for me. I just never seem to have much motivation and my grades usually take somewhat of a hit. Every since 7th grade (yes, 7th grade) I have never had a higher or equal GPA in the spring semester than in the fall. What is wrong with me?
Would anyone like to sympathize, criticize, or even allegorize?
peace and love
-skp

 

[ethyl]

I'm starting to feel it too. I'm thinking the winter vacation destroyed my study habits. I have to rebuild them in the spring and I succeed the next summer and fall semesters. unno:

 

[freshbeatschris]

I'm in quite the lull as well. But, then again, 3 people have died, I've quit two jobs and started one new one, and I took the PCAT in the middle of a classic Chicago blizzard all within the last week. I think there may be extenuating circumstances to this academic down point.

Chris

 

[WVURxGal]

My problem is that I haven't had any exams yet, and nothing has been due except a few physics homeworks. I haven't had to study for any class except Microbiology, so when the time comes when I'll need to start studying... it's not going to be fun.

That, and all of my classes are busywork type classes. Physics 102... uuuugh... the homework is just "how many times can you do the same exact calculation?", except it lasts for at least 10 pages. I can't look at it for more than a few minutes at a time. I have a hard time not slacking when I feel like the work I'm doing is useless!

I agree with the "winter break ruined my study habits" post, too. I was doing so well during last finals week!!!

 

[Krismeese]

I've graduated from undergrad recently, but I do strongly believe that the beginning of a new semester causes a lull. You aren't toatally familiar with the flow of your new classes yet, you are still on a "high" from the preceeding break. Moving back to school if you don't commute. I think all factor into that lull. I also find that if you graph "non-lullness" (I know that is not a word 🙂 ) vs. time that looks sort of like a natural log, only asymtotically approaching some maximum performance, until of course you get burned out from hard problems, too many classes, busywork etc. where it falls off 😛

Sorry about the long(weird) post, but was interesting to reflect back, and break up a monotonous day lol

 

[Dr.bird]

It could be seasonal. I don't put much stock in clinical depression due to seasonal changes, but there is something kind of crappy about cold, dark, wet, short days filled with adjusting to a new routeen.

 

[WVURxGal]

I also find that if you graph "non-lullness" (I know that is not a word 🙂 ) vs. time that looks sort of like a natural log, only asymtotically approaching some maximum performance, until of course you get burned out from hard problems, too many classes, busywork etc. where it falls off 😛

HAH HAH HAH!!!!!! Oh man. That's got to be the dorkiest thing I've read/heard all day. Krismeese, you are AWESOME.

 

[crossjb]

Try getting into running or some other form of cardio -- awesome stress killer. Just 30 minutes a day does wonders for your mental outlook. Also, form study groups with attractive members of the opposite sex. Studying with a hot chick always does wonders for my motivation... 😀

 

[Jonno1288]

Studying with a hot chick always does wonders for my motivation... 😀

It's the only way to study. haha

 

[off2skl]

Another possibility is that we tend to have more breaks in the fall quarter (Thanksgiving and Christmas depending how your semester falls). Whereas during the spring it seems to be a long stretch with no breaks (spring break tends to come late in the quarter).