Resources - Academic Year Rhythm
The Rhythm of the Academic Year
In 1991, Austin and Souza presented the Rhythm of the Academic Year. As a family member of a UTD freshman, you may want to use the following adaptation to prepare yourself for what you can expect your freshman to face each month.
September
- Homesickness, loneliness
- Excitement
- Doubts about choice of school
- Tendency to test new limits and boundaries
- Frequent calls or visits home
- Anxiety about roommates and professors
- First rounds of tests possibly at the end of the month
October
- Roommate problems begin to arise
- Concerns about social climate (Do I fit in here?)
- First grades may be returned
- Midterm exams
- Romantic relationships from home still going strong
November
- Midterm grades returned
- Roommate problems getting more serious
- Lots of exams and papers due before Thanksgiving
- Pressure building regarding coursework
- First wave of apartment-wide homesickness
- Anxiety about going home for the holidays
- Anxiety and sleeplessness because of finals
- Sadness about leaving new romantic relationship
- Anxiety about putting class schedules together for the next semester
- Feeling of missing out on holiday fun due to studying for exams; sense of being cheated
January
- Homesickness
- Loneliness for romantic relationship from home
- Disappointment or excitement about first semester grades
- Plans to make a fresh start
February
- Relief at being away from home or back at school
- Feelings of claustrophobia due to the weather; short tempers, high tension level
- Increase in alcohol and substance abuse
- Breakup of romantic relationships back home
- For Valentine's Day: feelings of loneliness, alienation (lack of purpose or identity... everyone has someone but me)
March
- Anxiety over choosing roommate(s) for the following academic year
- Disappointment for students who can't afford to travel over spring break
- Anxiety about midterm exams
- Beginning to worry about summer employment
- Depression over winter weight gain (especially women)
April
- Excitement about arrival of good weather
- Anxiety about choosing roommate(s) for next year
- Panic about not finding a roommate
- Nervousness about registering for courses
- End-of-semester pressure begins
May
- Anxiety about final exams
- Apprehension about returning home for the summer
- Sadness over losing touch with new friends
- Sadness over losing contact with romantic relationship
Throughout the Year
- Missing birthday celebrations at home
- Missing holiday celebrations at home (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Thanksgiving, Passover, Easter, etc.)
- Missing family-specific traditions such as carving pumpkins, picking out the Christmas tree, going skiing over midwinter break
- Feelings of being left out of decision making in family matters, important or not (buying a new car, putting pet to sleep, getting new pet, reassigning bedroom space, making choices about vacation)
Updated: June 6, 2007
