After coming home from a relaxing but relatively short winter vacation, you may still be in break mode once classes start. 

It is difficult to immediately switch over from having barely any responsibilities at home during break to massive amounts of work at school. Although it is challenging to originally get back to your working mindset and push yourself to do work, it is (somewhat) smooth sailing after that. 

You can become motivated for the second semester by one of two ways: 1) You did phenomenally well during the first semester and want to maintain your respectable GPA or 2) You did not do as well as you wanted to during the first semester and wish to improve your academic performance. Therefore, there is no excuse for not being motivated to work to your full potential during the second semester. 

For the most part, the first and second semesters will be relatively similar. Although you will have different classes and at least some different professors, you will still have a similar workload and daily routine. The second semester is a great time to make adjustments in your studying habits, campus involvement and social life—if improvements are necessary. 

As for freshmen, the transition from first to second semester may include substantial changes. You may decide to join new clubs and organizations, including sororities and fraternities. 

Since rushing was not an option as a first-semester freshman, going Greek can really change your schedule. 

Being in a sorority or fraternity involves a major time commitment, thus you may have to manage your time wisely in order to continue to fulfill all of your responsibilities. Even if you do not join a sorority or a fraternity, you may still decide to join other clubs.

 Being part of new clubs will also require new responsibilities and more time management. It is never too late to get involved in new clubs on campus—reach out to presidents via email to inquire about joining! 

Moreover, your living conditions during the second semester may be very different than those in the first semester. There are a few reasons why living conditions could change: your first-semester roommate is now studying abroad and you received a new roommate or you decided to change residence halls. If you are receiving a new roommate, always warmly welcome him or her! 

You may or may not personally know who your roommate is, but it is favorable to make him or her feel comfortable in the new surroundings. You’re going to be spending a lot of time in the same room with this person, therefore you should definitely get to know him or her. It may be a bit weird at first if you do not know the person, but your new roommate could end up being one of your closest friends by the end of the second semester. Also, if you are moving into a new residence hall, it may be daunting at first. Take time to introduce yourself and get to know the people on your floor because you could meet some great people. Do not be afraid to mingle with the people in your hall just because they have already established friends there. However, regardless of the reason for new living conditions, it will take time to adjust at first.

Furthermore, the second semester offers a plethora of opportunities, but only if you are willing to take them! You can meet plenty of friends in your new classes, clubs and at campus events. By getting involved, you are bound to meet new people and have new valuable experiences. 

If you feel like you have not met many good friends yet, the second semester is your chance to get involved and make new friends. 

See what opportunities are available for people pursuing your particular major. There are numerous career and networking events, presentations, programs and day trips, in order to learn valuable information about your potential major. 

The campus has many of resources to use, including the University Career Center and the Clay Center for business students. 

It is never too early to start exploring possible career paths because four years go by very quickly! 

Overall, although the transition from first to second semester may seem insignificant, there are many ways that you can make it different and memorable.