1. Nobody said it would be easy.
Things will get tricky and you will feel like everything is going wrong, but keep pushing through. You will get to a point where literally nothing else could go wrong. You will be failing exam after exam (regardless of how much you study), that boy you thought was going to love you forever will stop talking to you (~don't confuse a lesson for a soulmate~), you will be in a fight with your best friend, and on top of that your family will be having problems. I promise you though, that if I can get through it, so can you. You're stronger than you think, remember that.
2. Make time for yourself.
You come first and in the end you are all you have. Sometimes, you just need to curl up in bed with some hot cocoa and read your favorite book. And trust me, I know that you don't have time for that. You have 937528 exams to study for, essays to write, and homework assignments to struggle through, but you need to take care of yourself before you can take care of anything else.
3. Keep your friends close.
Those girls you call your best friends are going to start playing an even bigger role in your life than you ever thought possible. Learn to look to them for help because they are going to be the ones holding your hair back when you've had just a little too much to drink, sitting on your bed hugging you when the boy you loved breaks your heart, and most importantly they are going to be the ones with you when you cross that finish line.
4. Keep your family closer.
Make time to call your Mom when you're walking home from the lib, or your Grandma when you're crawling to class at 8 a.m. in the morning. Don't forget your Dad either, or your lunch plans with your older sister. Time passes fast and before you know it she will be graduating and you will miss those last minute lunch dates. Despite how busy you may be, or how little time you think you have, your family will 100 percent always have your back and an "I love you" text before bed goes a long way. So don't forget to say hi once in a while.
5. Don't sweat the small stuff.
I know the little things may feel like the big things right now, but trust me they aren't. Ever hear the saying "if it won't matter in ten years, don't worry about it now"? Well it is 100 percent true. The boy who won't text you back won't matter when you're happily married with three kids. Neither will those girls who had nothing better to do than talk about you behind your back. People suck sometimes but if you stay positive and confident, you will be able to overcome all the BS.
6. Work your butt off.
Get involved in as much as you possibly can (without turning into a crazy person), ace those exams, and work as many hours as your schedule allows at that boring job that you hate. It will all pay off. Keep pushing through and before you know it, the end will be right around the corner. You will have positions on the e-boards of clubs you hadn't heard of before this year, but now don't know what you would do without, amazing grades, and a little money to spend the summer traveling the world.
7. Don't forget to have a little fun.
I can't stress this one enough. When you're 80 and looking back on your "youth" you won't remember the A you got on that nutrition exam because you stayed in Thursday night cramming. You will however remember that Thursday night you had the time of your life at that dirty frat house with those girls you call your best friends. Sometimes you have to remember that while grades are important, we only get to live one life.
8. Don't look back. Don't look back for a second.
Whether it be that exam you failed, the essay you never got around to turning in, or that boy who broke your heart, it's not worth it to look back. Don't dwell on the past and on what cannot be changed. Look forward to the future and acing that next exam, finishing that next essay on time, and finding the boy who wouldn't dare play with your heart. All you can do is keep your chin up and maintain a positive attitude and an open mind. Don't forget that.
9. Stay confident.
This year is going to be hard as hell and you're going to need as much confidence as you can get. Try your best to go with the flow and shrug off whatever other people think of you. Don't let yourself become a product of society. Do whatever makes you happy and surround yourself with those who lift you higher. Only those who lift you higher. Oh and while you're at it, don't forget to throw on those hater blockers (for the rest of em'). You're beautiful inside and out and you need to let the world see that you can't and won't be pushed down.
10. Everything will be okay.
That boy you gave your heart to who you think you'll never get over? Those three essays you have to finish in two days? All of the cramming for that one exam that your grade depends on? You will kill all of it and come out a better person IF you don't give up. You got this girl!
College is hard and sometimes people don't have your best interest in mind, but after this year you're really going to understand what people mean when they say you're stronger than you think. You have the entire world in front of you and endless opportunities. Take advantage of everything. Meet as many people as you can, have as much fun as possible, and try to study a little bit. You will get through this and you will have a helluva time doing it. Good luck!
