Marble Pedestal: Winter semester

When the winter break comes to an end, we inevitably roll into the following academic term — the winter semester. The holiday break offers students a well-needed break, with a few extra hours of sleep and time with friends and family. But the shorter time between semesters, as opposed to the long summer break, helps students stay in the academic mindset and maintain their momentum. The post-holiday motivation makes returning to school invigorating, helping students dive back into their studies with renewed energy.

The beginning of the winter semester also coincides with the new year. In turn, it offers the perfect opportunity for students and staff alike to implement some of their 2025 resolutions. These resolutions may even come as a result of what you’ve learned from the fall semester. This may be especially true for first-year students, who have now had a full first semester to get a grasp on the post-secondary experience. Because of this alignment between the new year and new semester, the winter semester is a fresh opportunity to set goals and refocus on academic and personal aspirations. 

As a push to work on those goals, the winter weather creates an ideal atmosphere for focusing on your studies. Colder weather often means fewer outdoor activities, which can also mean fewer distractions from school work. The encouraged and necessary indoor activity can, in turn, make prioritizing school work that much easier. But, you can still enjoy the season from inside. Sitting next to a window while snow falls, or listening to seasonal playlists or audiobooks can complement the winter vibe. 

The step into the winter semester also lends itself to symbolizing a step towards students’ future endeavours. For many students, this changeover means being closer to goals such as graduation, summer internships, jobs, or study-abroad programs. As the final push for many, winter semester acts as a looking-glass to the end of months or years of hard work and effort. From this vantage point, students can see the next step in their journey. The new semester is one more step closer to celebration and success. All this makes the grind of the semester feel incredibly worthwhile.

Refreshed and inspired with eyes on the prize, I wish you all good luck in the coming winter semester!