Reality can be a tough pill to swallow. The week right after spring break is when a lot of students realize that real work needs to be done between now and the end of the year.

Coming back from a warm and beachy destination and a week of doing nothing, it’s daunting to return to daily life. Many students become stressed and quickly lose the spring break ease. Do yourself a favor and take the coming back process in slow doses.

Don’t dive right into the biggest project of your collegiate career: Spread your work out over a couple of days so you can ease yourself back into the pool of knowledge. While different from the pools you were probably swimming in over break, this one can be especially rewarding and fulfilling — if you don’t stress yourself out by rushing right in.

It’s early in the week. At this point, you may be settling back into the routine of school. However, if you are still shaking off the “coming back from break” blues, you are likely not alone. A couple of days back in class is not always enough to take us out of that break mindset.

With tests and project deadlines looming, it is important to plan out the next couple of weeks so you are able to get everything done without reducing yourself to a sleepless zombie.

That 15-page paper due in two weeks? Start researching now so you aren’t trying to cram research and writing all into the same week.

Big test coming up? Study for an hour each day leading up to the test so you don’t feel overworked. You are still putting in the work necessary to get a good grade.

Looking to secure a summer internship before it’s too late? Check the University’s job board and write out the deadlines for each application onto a calendar so you aren’t doing several applications in one sitting. Cramming can lead to sloppy work and won’t actually end up helping you in the long run.

By doing your work in increments, you are not overwhelmed on a day-to-day basis. You might just be surprised on how much you accomplish. It is tempting to come back from spring break and continue to put off work because letting go of that nice relaxation period seems impossible. Resist this temptation, but don’t overwork yourself. Mental health is important and crucial to achieving.
Just remember, pills are usually easier to swallow when they are cut into smaller pieces.