Coming back to school after Christmas break can be tough on many of us for a variety of reasons. We may dread some upcoming classes or realize that we are leaving family and friends back home.

For me, an upcoming semester brings the fear of the unknown. Not knowing whether or not I will like my classes, how well I will adjust to my professors, how hard the classes will be, or even what life will be like once I leave Baker. Yeah, we eventually have to leave this awesome place we are lucky enough to call home.

I would lie if I said I was not scared to return and start my new classes this semester. I never know what to expect starting a new class, and that always makes me nervous. I get even more worked up over a new class when I have never had the professor in a class before. What helps me calm my nerves in this particular situation is to always be as prepared as I possibly can. I constantly remind myself that I can only control my actions and not those of other people. When I listen to my own advice, I find that I better prepare myself.

The way classes are conducted vary greatly from professor to professor. I think that adds to students’ anxiety a lot when we first come back after a long break. Then when I find out how hard a class will be or how much time I will be spending outside of class, I definitely have a mini panic attack. I always seek information about classes from people who I know were already in the class. Hearing what a class is like first-hand from a friend always gives me peace of mind.

Speaking of panic attacks, who else freaks out every time they realize that at some point we will not be able to come back to Baker? Yeah, we all got to come back here for this semester, but for some of us it will be our last one here. This place has become my second home, and I cannot imagine never being able to come back to my cozy home here in Baldwin City. This is place where I trust everyone, feel secure, and know that people have my best interest at heart.

Despite the fact that coming back seems hard after a long break that consisted mainly of binge watching Netflix, I am so grateful that I have a place like here to come back to. Let’s face it, sometimes you want to go where everyone knows your name, and Baker University is that place.