During these next three weeks I will be trying to survive my first final exams. I’m kind of freaking out, because in the next few weeks I have my first 10-page paper due, two projects, and one test, not even counting my finals! Here are a few thoughts I’ve had this past week (hopefully I’m not the only freshman thinking these things)…

1. This will be just like high school!

For some reason being the naive freshman that I am, I thought this would be just like high school. It’s just a few tests; what could the big deal be?

2. This is nothing like high school.

Well, it’s not like high school at all! Here’s a tip for all the high school seniors out there: do not procrastinate. It is the worst thing you can ever do. Fight the urge to binge on "The Office" or "Grey’s Anatomy"; you can do that over Christmas break!

3. I want to go home.

Home is cozy and a comforting place to be, and in my dorm room there are multiple reminders of all the assignments, papers, and tests that will inevitably be coming.

4. I still have four more years of this?

Yes, that’s right, we do! We are just at the beginning of our journey and we still have a long road ahead of us, kids.

5. Don’t cry in public!

I’m sure I will cry from stress at one point over these next three weeks, but who won’t? Just don’t be the freshman that gets caught crying in public, or if you do, at least find a place where people won’t hear you.

6. I’ll just take a quick nap.

Studying for hours can get exhausting, so why not take a quick 30-minute nap? Soon your short nap turns into two hours and now you are two hours behind. I say keep plenty of coffee on hand!

7. I’ve only been studying for an hour?

When you finally look up from all the notes, books, and practice problems you’ve been doing to only see an hour has passed when it’s felt like a century.

8. Winter break is coming.

After this we can have a month to ourselves! That’s the beauty of college: work as hard as you can for a semester, then get a month off to relax and tease your younger siblings when they have to go back to school and you are still on break!

9. It's OK; I can do this.

At some point you start to feel a little bit better—maybe all these hours of studying have really paid off, or you are delusional from the lack of sleep. Either is a possibility at this point.

10. It's finally over!

You studied, took the test, and now it's done. All you can do now is wait and start enjoying winter break. You survived your first semester of college and now you know what to prepare for when spring comes! But seriously, enjoy the time off first!