I don’t know about the rest of you, but my school has just arrived at the half-way point of the semester. We’ve been working hard for nearly weeks now and, man, sometimes it’s exhausting. With a full course load, multiple jobs and the need for at least a little social interaction, trust me, I understand feeling burned out.

But here’s the deal: feeling burned out doesn’t make you a bad student. It just means you’ve been working hard for a long time and your brain and body are exhausted from it all. And that’s okay.

If you’re feeling burned out, here are 20 encouraging things you should hear right now:

1. It’s okay to be tired. No one will blame you for being human and feeling exhausted after doing your best.

2. What you’re doing matters. Even if you’re one of those “useless” majors like philosophy or art – what you’re doing is vitally important to the human experience! If you’re doing what you’re passionate about, you’re not pouring money down the drain regardless of what your *concerned* relatives tell you.

3. Everyone knows you’re still figuring it out. Sure, we all act like we have all the answers and like you’re supposed to have all the answers too… but the reality is that none of us know what we’re going to have for lunch tomorrow let alone what we’re doing with our futures.

4. Inhale. For real, just do it.

5. Exhale. Don’t forget to take deep breaths and slow everything down for a few minutes every day.

6. Take a shower. Or just do something that isn’t homework that lets you take care of your body without forcing it to stay up late, focusing on difficult things.

7. The little things actually do matter. I think this is the point of the semester when out tunnel vision starts to kick in; we only see the big, looming deadlines and responsibilities, and we forget to notice the daffodils starting to bloom.

8. It’s okay to be confused. You’re thinking about a million and five things right now – don’t be too hard on yourself for needing to ask for help, either academically from a professor or personally from a friend or mentor.

9. Your professors want to challenge you, not kill you. Yes, I know sometimes it seems like your professors are out to get you, but they’re actually just here to teach you. Sure, they’re going to push you, and sometimes they’ll probably push you a little too hard; but they really do just want you to learn and grow.

10. Call your mom. Or your dad. Or your siblings. Or your best friend. Stay connected to the people who mean the most to you and who love you unconditionally.

11. Do your homework. You don’t need to go above and beyond, but do your assignments to the best of your ability in the time given you. Take care of yourself, but don't procrastinate.

12. If you have thought about going to counselling, just do it. Many schools have free counselling services. Take advantage of them! Counselling can be a healthy way to help relieve some of the anxiety of the semester.

13. Taking breaks is not a waste of time. Actually, if you don’t take breaks, your brain will just start taking breaks without your permission while you’re trying to get stuff done (or at least, that’s how I understand science).

14. Be honest with yourself. Don’t just tell yourself to toughen up, stay awake, work harder, be smarter. Sure, give yourself pep-talks, but it’s okay to have an honest tête-à-tête with yourself about what you’re going to need to make it through the rest of the semester. Sometimes that means dropping a class, working a few hours less each week, eating healthier or making sure you sleep a minimum of 6 hours every night.

15. Coffee will not solve all your problems. Sorry, but I had to say it.

16. Your health is more important than your grades. If you’re like me, someone has probably told you this before, but for some reason it’s something I still need to be constantly reminded of.

17. Homework parties count as social interaction. If you feel like you need more social time but have too much work. Homework parties can be the happy medium.

18. You don’t need to apologize for being stressed. Seriously, we all get it. Just do what you need to do to stay okay.

19. Don’t compare yourself to others. Nothing makes a tough situation worse than comparing it to other people’s situations. Maybe you think your situation isn’t “hard enough” to be causing the amount of stress it is, or maybe you’re jealous of people who have free time (what even is free time? I’ve forgotten); either way, focus on managing your life and don’t compare yourself to others. Everyone is different.

20. Even hard times can be beautiful. You’re almost done. I know summer vacation feels far away, but really it’s just around the corner. Before you know it, you’ll be graduated, and these stressful times will only be memories of the past. Don’t forget to treasure these days; there are so many wonderful things happening in your life right at this moment. Don’t lose sight of the beautiful things!