As we move into mid-fall, many students are struggling with the mid-semester slump. Although this can happen at any stage of the academic journey, it particularly affects undergraduate and graduate college students. Students begin to lose steam halfway through the semester and may become lethargic and discouraged. Especially as we continue to deal with a student mental health crisis, the mid-semester slump can be a time when the students’ mental health suffers.
Fortunately, the fact that schools can predict the mid-semester slump means that they can take steps to support students, as can friends and family of students. In today’s blog, let’s talk about how to support students through the mid-semester slump.
What Causes the Mid-Semester Slump?
For many college students, this is their first time away from home for a substantial period of time. This is a change that begins to sink in around two or three months into the semester, causing feelings of stress and homesickness. It’s also a massive shift in lifestyle. Many students go from being able to cruise through their high school courses to struggling through college courses. They may struggle to adjust to all of the information they have to take in, or the new schedule and responsibility.
There’s also the fact that the mid-semester simply feels longer. The newness of college has worn off, but it’s still a couple months before mid-term exams and winter break. October and November may seem to stretch on endlessly, and without something imminent to look forward to, students often lose motivation.
Supporting Students Through Mid-Semester Slump
The ways you might choose to support students through mid-semester slump depends on your role in their life. There are different things that professors, friends and family, or fellow students can do to provide support in this challenging time.
As a Professor or Staff Member
As a professor, consider structuring classes in the mid-semester slump to be more engaging and interactive rather than typical lectures. You might turn the class into a round of questions and answers, or practice more active learning during the mid-semester. This will help to shake things up and catch your students’ attention. You can also point them to student mental health resources that the school has available, such as counseling or therapy. If you notice a student is particularly struggling with the mid-semester slump, check in on them and ask how you can support them.
Keep in mind, however, that professors can also experience a mid-semester slump. If you neglect your own burnout, you will likely struggle to help your students through theirs. Take care of your own mental health first.
As a Friend or Family Member
If you have a student friend or family member going through mid-semester slump, check in on them. If you can, consider taking them out to eat or giving them another brief reprieve from the heavy load of their academic work. You might also offer to help them study. If they live far away, consider giving them a call. Make sure they know that experiencing a mid-semester slump does not make them a failure and is perfectly normal. Ensure that they also know that they can always turn to you when they need to.
If the student you love is particularly struggling with mid-semester slump, it might be time to recommend therapy. Therapy can help students learn coping skills to get them through the toughest parts of the year, as well as offer a place where they can safely vent.
As a Student
So how do you take care of yourself as a student going through mid-semester slump? One thing that may help is giving yourself a routine. Many new college students struggle to develop a routine that suits their new lifestyle, especially if they are having to do this on their own for the first time. Set a time to study each day and a time to take breaks.
Organizing your day may help to reduce stress and overwhelm. If you have a big assignment coming, attempt to structure when you’ll work on it so that you don’t have to pull an all-nighter to finish the paper. It may also help to work in short bursts when you’re low on motivation. Try the pomodoro method: 25 minutes of work, then a 5 minute break; then after four “pomodoros,” take a 30 minute break. This can help you stay refreshed.
Another option is to create a reward system in order to incentivize you to push forward. Maybe after you finish a big paper, you can reward yourself by having a movie night with friends, or going out to one of your favorite activities.
Reach out to your fellow students who might be going through mid-semester slump. You can ask each other what you’re doing to get through it and may even form a study group so that studying is a less solitary activity.
Finally, if your mental health is suffering, consider reaching out for mental health treatment. Through supportive therapy or medication management, you may be able to find some relief from the depression and anxiety that sometimes comes with mid-semester slump and college in general.
At Rivia Mind, our skilled and compassionate mental health clinicians are here to help young adults through a variety of life transitions, including the mid-semester slump. Contact us today to learn more or to schedule a free 15-minute consultation.
