The first day of school is like January 1st.
Although the amount of alcohol consumed during syllabus week and the night before the new
year is eerily similar, thatâs not the reason for the correlation. Thereâs more to it.
Go back to last New Year’s Eve. You put on your best shirt, wore your nicest dress, planned to
hit nine bars and three house parties all before midnight. The excitement mixed with over the top expectations is much the same going into the first day of school.
Itâs great to see missed faces, give hugs, catch up and brag about everything youâve done over the summer. Donât forget to mention the summer fling that gives Danny and Sandy a run for their money.
Semester goals hide on the inside of your planner as a monster would under the bed, ready to pounce with their big, meaty claws as you hightail it to the bars. Be realistic, going to the library three hours each night will not happen. Just as going to the gym twice a day didnât quite work out.
New Yearâs Day and hangovers pass. Reality sets in and suddenly itâs the second day of school.
NYE ended up like any other night out would, and the first day of school was more or less a regular day of school. Homework is assigned, tests are scheduled and books are begging to be opened. Do not get caught up in what New Year’s Eve entails. The semester is long and college is even longer.
Enjoy the highs of New Year’s Eve and the lows of 2 a.m. library sessions. Enjoy the highs of best friends and the lows of breakÂups. Enjoy the highs of living away from home and the lows of living away from home. Every day cannot be New Year’s Eve.
When you reach and accept the perfect balance of highs and lows, then, and only then, will college give you the twelve oâclock kiss youâve been looking for all night.