The back-to-school season can be a sad time for students. Another summer off is over. And you only get so many of those before you enter the workforce and summer vacations become a thing of the past (unless you become a teacher, at least).
But cheer up, students! Heading back to school isn’t all bad – there are silver linings to summer being over. Here are 5 reasons to be glad that it’s time to get back in the classroom.
Social Life
Maybe you went home or abroad for the summer. Maybe you stuck around while all your friends did these things. In any case, the back-to-school season usually means getting to reconnect with friends you haven’t seen all summer.
This is especially true now that colleges and universities have returned to in-person education. To one degree or another, I think we’re all still recovering from the cabin fever caused by lockdowns, social distancing, and online learning. This should make it a big relief to be back on campus and in contact with your friends again.
Independence
Many students, especially early in their undergraduate studies, spend their summers back at home. And while it’s great to spend time with family and have your meals cooked for you, moving back in with the parents can feel a bit confining after two semesters spent living on your own.
For these students, the return to school means a return to independent living. Sure, it may also mean a return to coin laundry and Kraft Dinner. But that’s a small price to pay for the freedom that comes with college/university living.
Structure & Routine
Yes, the freedom to play Xbox until 3 a.m. and then sleep in until noon is great – for a while. But after three months of solid free time (whether this is how you spend it or not), there’s something to be said for a return to routine.
Having a routine is good for your mental and physical health. And while many people are perfectly capable of sticking to one even while on vacation, some struggle to keep structure in their lives during long stretches of time off. For students like this, the structure imposed by returning to school can be a jarring adjustment. But it’s for the best.
The Things You’ll Learn
This one may come across as kind of cheesy. But expanding your knowledge and gaining the skills you’ll need to succeed in your dream career really is what higher education is all about. And it’s an opportunity no student should take for granted.
Yes, the work is hard, many of the lectures are dull, the deadlines are stressful, and the assignments can be a grind. But if no part of you is even a little excited by what you stand to learn in the upcoming semester, you may want to consider choosing a new major. Higher education should be challenging, but also fulfilling. As long as your education is living up to this standard, getting back to it can’t be all bad.
The Perks of Student Life
This one’s specific to students who are just starting their higher-education journey. If this is your first semester as a college or university student, you should be aware that a whole world of perks has just opened up to you.
College and university students are entitled to all kinds of discounts. With a student card, you can save on everything from travel (e.g. 10% off trips with Greyhound) to subscription services (e.g. half off Amazon Prime) to software (e.g. up to 95% off top software right here at OnTheHub). There are so many student discounts out there, we wrote a whole blog post about it. Check it out for more reasons to be happy about starting your first semester of college.