Months

September

Excitement; freshmen test new found freedom; frequent calls and visits home; homesickness; anxiety about roommates, adjustment to professors and classes; how to get involved on campus/while some get over involved; need to balance social and academic schedules; pledging and recruitment period for fraternities and sororities (sophomores and up). May face troubles with budgeting and fall into habit of credit card abuse.

October

Roommate problems begin to arise; students question: "Do I fit in here?"; first tests/papers returned; study skills and time management can have a strong impact; Nobel Conference; midterm exams; Fall Break; love relationships from home remain strong; positive or negative results of early semester habits are experienced.

November

Mid-term grades available; roommate challenges become more clear; many exams and papers due before Thanksgiving; Restless excitement and/or anxiety about going home for Thanksgiving; financial stress; first series of campus-wide illness (cold, flu).

December

Christmas in Christ Chapel performances; anxiety over preparations for finals; excitement and/or anxiety regarding going home for holidays; sadness about leaving college friends. First-year college students may have to readjust to family and friends and may not even have the same bedroom as when they left.

January

Start of second semester; feeling of optimism about new start; feeling down or depressed because of winter

February

Students looking for summer/fall internships; seniors worry about life after Gustavus; Valentine's Day brings out loneliness; Job & Internship Fair; possible roommate tension can occur.

March

Housing selection; mid-term exams stress; start to think of summer employment; concern over winter weight gain; planning for spring break.

April

Excitement with the arrival of spring; end-of-the-semester pressures looming; seniors realize reality of graduation; disenchantment with normal services such as food service and residential life.

May

Final exams/papers anxiety; concerns for summer employment and returning home; sadness over leaving friends or relationships.

Learn more about your student's form of challenges and adjustments depending on their year in school . Rhythm of First-Year Students, Rhythm of Sophomore Students, Rhythm of Junior Students, and Rhythm of Senior Students.