Ah, a new semester.
Winter break (aka sleeping in every day and enjoying mom's home-cooking) is over which means it's back to the life of a busy college student.
As a college student with 20 different commitments and responsibilities, it can be easy to get caught of in the stress and worry of how you're going to accomplish everything without completely falling apart.
To have a successful semester, here are six pieces of advice we should all take into consideration.
1. SLEEP
Most of us have the tendency to prioritize everything else in our lives and neglect the single most important thing we need to function: sleep.
With an internship, a job, three mid-terms next week, two essays last week, a group project due tomorrow, and whatever else may be filling up our planner, it can be easy to pull all-nighters in the library while fueled by coffee and energy drinks; after all, we are at college to get our degree(s) and pass. We often ask ourselves, how can I go to bed when I have so many things to finish with very little time? I get it; time is valuable and most of the time we don't have enough of it.
However, getting an insufficient amount of sleep increases the risk of sickness and doing poorly in school. A few hours of sleep or an all-nighter here or there won't kill you, but take it from someone who knows, YOU NEED TO SLEEP. A good night's rest with help you tackle more obstacles, do more things, and get you through the days ahead without drooling in class.
2. Don't overthink everything
I need to take my own advice because this is a common mistake I make daily.
What is my internship doesn't work out?
What if my job doesn't work out?
What am I having for dinner a week from now?
Oh no! I skipped the gym and ate ice cream for breakfast. I'M A FAILURE.
I got rejected from four internships and three jobs this week. I'll never get a job after college.
STOP.
Stop worrying about every single little detail in your life because you will go crazy. You can't control everything, whether it be someone cutting you off, a fast-food restaurant screwing up your order, a job not working out, etc. Stop overthinking things you may or may not be able to change and take it day by day.
3. Stop stressing about the future
The future will come soon enough, and when it does, you will probably want to go back to your drunken college days when you could live in sweatpants and skip an 8 a.m. and sleep in if you wanted to. You're young; you don't have to have everything figured out! I repeat, you don't have to have everything figured out!
Whoever says they know exactly what they want to do is either lucky or lying. You're going to screw up and you're going to change your mind, but that doesn't mean you're going to be a failure. Besides that, live in the present! Stop stressing about something that hasn't even happened yet and take it day by day, enjoying the little things in life.
4. Take care of yourself, physically and mentally
The more you take of yourself when you're young, the better you'll feel and look when you're older. Go for a jog when you can because you might not have that ability when you're 80. Get a sufficient amount of sleep, because you'll have permanent bags under your eyes if you don't. Relax from time to time and have a day for yourself every once in a while. You deserve a break. You NEED a break.
5. Solidify those college friendships
Before you know it, you're going to be out of college and you won't see your college friends every day. Maintaining those friendships now while you're still in college will make it easier to keep in touch in the future. There's nothing worse than that awkward silence the first time you see a college friend in months.
6. BREATHE
Yeah, that's right, inhale...exhale. Take a breath of fresh air every day and truly enjoy it. Stop thinking and worrying for a few seconds and thank God for giving you another day of life. Some people aren't fortunate enough to live another day. You're alive. You're healthy. You're lucky enough to be able to attend college. Appreciate all the good in your life, and tell your family and friends you love them every time you see them.