Yes, it hurt a bit to be ungrammatical in the title.

I know it feels like winter break started a second ago. December and the first part of January is a marathon and a whirlwind. You blink and, next thing you know, Spring Semester is due to start. Like tomorrow.

Relax. Deep breath.

Remember when you chose your classes in the fall? Or remember when your advisor told you what classes to take? And you signed up for them and everything? And you and your spouse or you and your parents or just you filled out your FAFSA when they released it in December?

I know that the beginning of the semester is scary. But breath. You’ve got this. Every class is one step closer to being done.

Now that you’ve remembered what classes you are taking this semester, get yourself to the Canvas site and see if the syllabi have been released. Or Moodle or Google Classroom. Or whatever platform your college or university uses.

Read the syllabus. Yes, in its entirety.

Make a plan for due dates or exam dates. But also make sure to note when the breaks are.

The syllabi will have the books needed for the class. Buy them, rent them, borrow them. It doesn’t matter how you get them, just get them.

Now all you can do is relax and get back into school mode.

But take heart. Spring break and Summer break will be here before you know it.

Don’t forget to eat right, drink your water, brush your teeth, and exercise. You know, the things that your parents told you to do. Do all of them.

And enjoy the semester.