Another semester almost gone! It seems impossible that the last two and a half months have flown by so quickly.

Nevertheless, you know that in just a few short weeks you’ll be heading home for a month of rest and relaxation, of spending your evenings nestled under cozy blankets and guiltlessly binge-watching your favorite Netflix series. But in those coming weeks before move-out day arrives, stress is piling up—probably more stress than you’ve faced all semester. While it’s exciting to have a long break to look forward to, the last few weeks of the fall semester are often the toughest.

Somehow even the things that seemed the simplest when the school year was first starting start to feel most difficult…

1. Get yourself out of bed.

It’s still dark out when your alarm goes off, and the mornings are cold. It’s so tempting to roll back over and skip your 8 AM—it’s just one class, right? Wait…no…you’ve already missed three this semester…

2. Get homework done after class.

Again, there’s something about the darkness. It makes you feel like it’s almost time for bed, not like it’s time to start a load of homework.

3. Trudge over to the dining hall for dinner.

You know you should go eat a real meal tonight. You do. But now that it’s so cold and windy at night, the walk seems so much longer than it did at the beginning of the year…

4. Keep track of assignments and due dates.

Even though there are only a few weeks left, more work is being thrown at you now than ever before, And with the semester’s end on your mind, you know time is running out so you feel even more pressure.

5. Justify buying anything that isn’t an absolute necessity.

You’ve been watching your bank account balance slowly but steadily drop for the last couple of months…and now it’s beginning to sink in that holiday shopping season is right around the corner.

6. Keep track of the days.

Wait, is today really only Tuesday? I swear, I thought it was Thursday…Anyway…how many more days ’til break? At a certain point in the semester, time just seems to become a big blur. Everyone is burnt out and pushing themselves to excel in the last few weeks with a fraction of the energy they had in the beginning.

But hang in there…when that glorious day arrives, that month of rest and relaxation will feel even more well-deserved!