January is Weird OR The Emotions of January as told by Emojis

Ah, January. 

What a weird month. Winter holidays are over, the days are getting longer, and midterms are just around the corner. ALREADY. 
January is the month we make resolutions and the month we break them. 
It is the month when we look forward to going back to school and it is the month when we desperately start to long for Reading Week. 
My January highs have been very high, and my January blues, very real. 
Let’s be honest, there is no weirder month than January. 


My January emotions have been all over the map.  I thought it would be fun to document my emotional rollercoaster with a very non-scientific and wholly inaccurate weekly emoji. Who knows, maybe you thought you were alone in the matter? Maybe you feel the same as I do, or maybe you don’t. In any case, you might relate to a few of these emotions. And you might be asking a similar question as I am: Is it February yet? (Almost!!) 

Week 1: Excited 

Emoji provided by http://emojipedia.org

I only made it to half of my classes this week because (me being the poor student that I am,) I got the cheapest flight back to Edmonton and of course that was on the Wednesday after classes had already begun.  But I was excited to come back! I knew that nothing extremely academic would happen during the first class (aside from reading the syllabus) so I took this time to catch up with friends and classmates. My coffee table talk was on par as I probably asked 100 people how their holidays went. I was positively optimistic as I took a weekend trip to Jasper knowing sooner than later my weekends would not be this free. In my eyes, the first week was a complete success! 

Week 2: Annoyed 

Emoji provided by http://emojipedia.org

I almost had allof my textbooks bought by this time. Though my motivation to get busy was at a slow crawl. I kept telling myself “ Okay, tomorrow is the day. You. Books. Learning. Tomorrow. For real. You can do this, Jobey!  By week 2 back at school , I’m still trying to keep my resolutions I made January 1st, although the fresh produce and healthy eating decreases significantly this week as I realize that I still have a few textbooks to buy and tuition is due at the end of the month. This week I’m thankful for that “emergency case” of Kraft Dinner, my aunt gave me when I moved this year. Tomorrow I will get down to business and get back into school mode. Tomorrow. I finish my week off with very little done and a weekend to catch up. Instead I party on Saturday and spend all day Sunday watching Law and Order and eating Kraft Dinner (thanks again, Auntie!). At this point, I’m annoyed at my poor work ethic and ready to shut down my Netflix account. 

Week 3: Slightly overwhelmed. Slightly optimistic

Emoji provided by http://emojipedia.org

I start off Monday slightly perturbed and instead of trying to be optimistic I’m just a grouch. I’m running out of excuses. There are no more “tomorrows” left. I’ve got an assignment due this week. After getting through Monday, I realize that I really need to pick up my socks. I’m mad at myself, but I am also not helping myself.  I spend an evening in the library with my tunes on full blast and I start to feel better about this semester. I can do it. I am not perfect and I’ve got off to a slow start, but that doesn’t have to dictate my semester. This week is a new start for the rest of the semester. Instead of coffee dates, I organize study sessions with friends. I can do this!

Week 4: Getting my groove back- Slowly, but surely. 

Emoji provided by http://emojipedia.org

I’m feeling good.  I’m busy but I feel proud of my work. Classes and assignments are full steam ahead and midterms are already around the corner. There are tons of events happening on campus (like I-Week), so instead of staying cramped up in my room watching Netflix, I explore! Reading Week is coming up soon and I’m also excited to spend some time away from the library! I am thankful for my friends and family who helped me out this month. It wasn’t easy. I was physically, emotionally and mentally tested, but I made it through. Tuition is paid, assignments are due and I made it through. I’ve abandoned my New Years resolutions, because they were stupid anyway. I don’t need  New Year’s resolutions to be a better person than I was yesterday. Tomorrow is a new day and in just a few days a new month is upon us. 

January is a weird month--the weirdest, in my opinion. 
But something that got me through (besides having great friends and family to talk with) was the reassurance that I am worth more than my assignments; my transcript is not who I am. January is what it is, and soon it will be done. My slow start is apart of my journey. 

But it will not define me. 

Jobey - YouAlberta Contributor

Jobey is in her fifth and final year studying Spanish Language and Literature & Women's and Gender Studies. She gets most of her inspiration from Vines & YouTube videos and over enthusiastically quotes them any chance she gets. When Jobey is not spending her days and nights in Rutherford Library, she can be heard from miles away "trying" to whisper. She really can’t whisper. Like, not even a little bit.


Originally published on 27 Jan 2015