The Six Phases of Spring Semester

Coming back after winter break, what could be better! We remember why we love Cornell so much when we return. We’re excited to finally reunite with our friends and we appreciate campus’s beauty, because it’s been awhile since we last saw a gorge. This phase is short-lived as we soon remember how cold it really is here, but it’s enjoyable while it lasts.

We start to long for the fall semester, because we feel like it was better. We wish we can click rewind. We convince ourselves that everything was better then, as if we had no work and it was nice out, none of which is true.

Ah, the weather. When you walk out of your door in April and it’s snowing, that’s when this stage really hits. We all walk around complaining and we hate on Ithaca and it’s never-ending winter. How one season can dominate such a large portion of the year, I still do not know.

The last few weeks preceding Spring Break are arguably the hardest, because you’re so close to a break, but not close enough. And once break is in reach, it’s hard to focus on anything else. That’s when professors load on the papers, projects, and prelims in order to get a lot done before we all head home or away on vacation.

In between Spring Break and Slope day is an interesting one. Everyone has a different situation.  As classes start to wrap up, some people are swamped while others have nothing to do! It finally warms up outside and the quads begin to re-populate. You’ll find people in the libraries, some playing frisbee outside, and others hiking around in local parks. Everybody is in a different place and it doesn’t make much sense for this phase.

After the ~rush~ that is Slope Day comes to a quick halt the next day, we all reluctantly head back to our favorite study spots on campus. We cram, we write, we snack, we pull all-nighters. Whatever it takes to get to the very end. We push through the finish line to be greeted by the much anticipated summer. The freedom of handing in your last final exam is unparalleled. Worth the wait though? I don’t know.