Who expected a winter wonderland the very first day we returned to classes? Regardless of the weather, we all hope that your winter break was enjoyable.

Maybe you spent most of the break working extra hours at your job to pay tuition or have more money laying around. Or, maybe you were finalizing details on a potential internship if you decided to do one – good luck to those starting a new internship this semester. Some likely spent the winter break not doing much of anything but instead taking the time to relax. All these are understandable and valid.

Now that the break is over, it may seem difficult to get back into the rhythm of going to classes and keeping up with your assignments,  because you got used to your schedule during winter break. We get you completely – it’s never easy to just go right back to the college mindset after weeks of being out of it. Don’t be harsh on yourself during the transition back, and remember that if you successfully did everything you needed to last semester there’s almost no reason you can’t do it again.

And, if you’re a first-year student who is going into their second semester of college ever, extra good luck to you. Your fall semester may have been difficult and involved lots of figuring things out about your schedule, friend group or classes, but that’s the point of the start of this chapter. Your first year of college is mostly the test run. It’s your chance to figure out what works and what doesn’t.

You should trust the choices that you make, because no matter what graduating year you’re in, you are in control of what happens with your education and potential future career. If something isn’t working don’t be afraid to change what you’re doing to try and find what does work.

But, if everything already seems perfect, then keep doing great things. Reach for that 4.0 GPA if you can, join as many student organizations as possible, be socially active with your campus community. 

What if you don’t want to push yourself and just want to get by this semester? For one, you need to take care of yourself. If you’re feeling unwell to the point where you can’t get by, talk to the people in your circle. They are there to support you and so is the university. 

We have said it many times before and will continue to say it – the university Health Center has counseling available for students throughout the week if you sign up. Once you get past the hurdle of signing up, you’re set. 

What if joining student organizations was a new year’s resolution for you? We’re always open to new people interested in contributing. If you watched what we did last semester with any interest and thought about joining, or if you’re a transfer student that wants to dive headfirst into journalism, now is the time. Show up to our weekly pitch meetings in the Center for Media Innovation (CMI) every Monday at 2:40 p.m. We welcome all new people and will explain everything to you in detail about how to contribute.

Good luck this semester to everyone. May we all get high grades for the hard work we put in and may The Globe continue covering everything important that happens on campus and in Downtown Pittsburgh.