End of the year cliches are welcome

At the end of the year, be it academic or otherwise, many people begin to falsely make themselves believe that ‘next time’ will be better.
Next semester will be the one where every class will be attended.
Every paper will be typed and completed as soon as it is assigned.
Those late road trippin’ wild college nights out will have to take a back seat to study groups and test preparation.
Or, my personal favorite, the refund money that may be rewarded will be used for scholastic purposes – as opposed to the up-building of a personal wardrobe towards homecoming and Bayou Classic, cars, car rims and top shelf liquor.
Then the reality sets in.
You hate that you had to register for a class that’s only offered and taught by one professor at 8 a.m. You and the instructor both know that there is no way in hell that you’re going to make it. Yet another ‘W’ is on the horizon for you. Already, the next semester of ‘next times’ have begun.
After yet another “accidental” all night out, you just don’t want to come to a class.
Any class.
I suppose you lie to yourself and say that next semester, you’ll actually buy all the books that are required when they are required as soon as possible.
Those chapters will be read. Those tests will be aced – without a doubt, things will be different.
And that check will be used towards pens, pencils, scantrons and other educational purposes.
I’m here to tell you right here and now, nine times out of ten, nothing will change.
Unless you are in that unlikely percentage of people that actually do what they come to college for – you know, learn, graduate and network – things will remain the same.
So, while on your shortened winter break, making useless lists, buying loose-leaf paper that won’t be used for what you brought it for (notes), just try to come back and improve on the on-going project of you.
Personally, next semester I plan on doing just that. Going to class, turning in papers on time and limiting – not eliminating – the during the week ‘Party Life.’ So, at this time, the most appropriate thing, the most cliché thing to do is to say have a great Dead Week (which someone needs to explains the ins and outs of to professors) and Finals Week. I will further the predictability by saying have a wonderful Christmas and New Year’s, while making lists towards improvement and denial.