The Mid-Semester Blues

Posted November 14, 2013 by Carolyn Lucas

There is something about this time of year when everyone’s creative juices seem to be flowing – except for mine.  It’s right after Halloween, recovering from making costumes (my husband and I were the 11th Doctor [Who] and the TARDIS, respectively!), but it’s too early to start thinking about Christmas gifts (although that hasn’t stopped me…).  I’m finding it harder to get out of bed in the morning without a pumpkin spice latte to wake me up; what’s the point of doing laundry, yet ANOTHER load of dishes?  

I’m even lacking the motivation to start writing the papers that are inevitably due; normally, writing papers comes fairly easily for me, but this time around it was like pulling teeth.   Actually… I might prefer getting teeth pulled.  

With the mid-semester slump, it’s hard to find the energy to keep going, to take the train an hour to campus each day, but luckily family, holiday cheer, and amazing food is right around the corner.  Soft snowfalls, happy holiday music, gifts, crafts, and parties will be here before I know it.  My database project will come together, my code will work, my presentations will happen, and time will pass eventually (hopefully?!).  

How do you guys pass the time when you’re in a mid-semester slump?  Do you have any tips or tricks for motivating yourself when you’re in the middle of a semester?