Graphic by Haley Morkert

ABIGAIL RUBLE | OPINION COLUMNIST | amruble@butler.edu

DISCLAIMER: I am not licensed to actually give you advice. I’m in college just like you readers, and you can take what you like from what I write. I do not promise any miracles, A’s on exams or flying cars. I am really sorry about that last one.

My dear readers, I’ve missed you so much. With finals, winter break and my constant need to be in tears, I haven’t written to you in quite some time. I hope everyone’s random colds are feeling better this week, and if you do feel icky, might I suggest my cover your cough article? This new semester has got everyone feeling some type of way and my way is constant tears. Let’s talk about rolling out of bed and into the second semester.

I am going to be honest here — I have cried at least twice a week since getting back to campus. I was a literal mess, and that’s okay. My tears were from the sheer amount of stress I was under, formal recruitment, classes starting and trying to be an active member of clubs on campus. Coming back to college after being home for almost a month is hard. When I got back to campus, I was missing so much. I missed my mom. I missed my dogs. I missed my queen-sized bed. But, I had no choice but to try and keep trucking. Getting back into the swing has been hard, so here’s what I’ve done to help myself succeed in this second semester.

Time to destress

First off, if I feel like crying, I try to set up something for myself to enjoy, like a new episode of a show. Plus, I love to play my favorite game on my iPad — yeah, I’m an iPad kid, and I have no shame. I love the sorting games with the tubes and different colored marbles. The shows I watch are usually funny or ones that I have been wanting to watch for a while but just haven’t had the time. Right now I’ve been catching up on “Shameless” and “Game of Thrones.” And let me tell you, finally finding out what happens feels really good to the soul.

Second semester has got me in a slump. I don’t feel like doing anything or going to anything, and the best thing that I have been trying to do is get my homework done sooner rather than later. Finishing up earlier has allowed me to prioritize things that are important to me throughout my day, whether that be taking a nap or getting lunch with friends.

Instead of rushing to get a paper finished before midnight, I can take a long shower and really unwind. I love to lay in bed, and nothing beats some snacks and an episode of “Doctor Who” to get me ready for some out-of-this-world dreams. Giving myself time to decompress from my day has saved me many tears already this semester.

Let it out, babe

One of my other favorite things to do when I’m feeling stressed is to call my sister and complain. I feel like venting is the best way to get my feelings off of my chest and then be able to pick myself back up and attack the problem I’m dealing with. My sister and I Facetime almost every day to debrief or talk about where we are headed to next. Having that support system is so incredibly important while being away from home, especially because I’m able to talk to people I miss.

If there is one thing about me, I’m gonna tell someone how I’m feeling about everything. Saying what I’m feeling, whether I’m sad or angry or annoyed, is really important for communication. Being able to communicate emotions is a good life skill to have, especially as you grow and set different boundaries within your life. Having the ability to let off steam to someone you feel comfortable with is important. Without my sister, I would be a lot meaner. She’s my physical filter.

Having that person as a filter is also helpful when dealing with conflict. There are many ways to approach something, but if you’re coming at it with a hot head, there won’t be much progress. Venting and letting go of that anger or annoyance can be helpful when coming to peaceful solutions. You have to let out how you are feeling to avoid conflict, but you get to choose who you share with.

Use a calendar

I have also found that using my calendar has been a humongous help. I forget things all the time. I won’t remember that I have an appointment, I’ll forget I made plans with friends, and worst of all I’ll accidentally double book myself. This makes me feel awful, but I’ve found that by writing down anything that is set to be at a certain time, I won’t forget it.

I love my calendar so much. I have every different subject color coded; I use bright blue for my work schedule, yellow for plans, and I use navy blue to remind myself when big assignments are due. This creates a little checklist for myself as I go through my day. Go to class? Check. Turn in that essay? Check. I have an appointment at 2 p.m.? I’ll be there — because I remembered to write it down. Scheduling out my day has been an immense help with helping myself feel organized and distressed.

Getting into the swing of second semester has been really rough for me; I’ve been trying to help myself improve on self care while still maintaining good grades. I think I’ve finally gotten the hang of semester two. Even if it took me a whole month, I believe that you, dear reader, can rock the world of second semester.

You got this mamas,

Abby

If you want to ask a question please email me at amruble@butler.edu, use the link on The Butler Collegian’s Instagram, send a dog with your question or you can walk up to me and ask. Dogs preferred.