This month, we welcome another autumn into our lives. As the weather begins to cool down, the workload starts to pile up, and so does the stress that comes along with it. We must wave goodbye to bikinis, beaches and freedom, and say hello to sweaters, classrooms and the ever so joyous, midterms.
Transitioning back into the school year can be challenging. It's easy to get overwhelmed when trying to balance school, work, and a social life.You may be asking yourself, "How am I supposed to get good grades, pay my bills, build my resume, hang out with friends, AND still have time to bum out on the couch and binge watch Netflix??"
Well, it definitely won't be easy, but it is possible. When life gets overwhelming, it's important to take a deep breath and remember that it's just a bad day, not a bad life. Never sell yourself short or give up on your goals just because you're having a rough day or week. You're capable of so much more than you give yourself credit for and sometimes, you just have to trust that everything will work out the way it's supposed to.
So remember:
1. You are smart, very smart.
A bad grade doesn’t mean you’re destined to pick up trash for a living. A break-up doesn’t mean you should reach for your phone and call up every convent within a 50 mile radius of yourself. A bad experience with one certain person, in one certain setting, does not mean that all of them will be that way. Intelligence goes far beyond the classroom and lies in one’s ability to prosper in times of difficulty.
2. Do not settle.
Whether it be with your grades, friendships, relationships, lifestyle, anything. Do not settle. Taking the easy route may seem like the right choice now but it's not worth it in the long-run.
3. Confidence is absolutely, 100 percent key.
You have to know who you are. If you just got drenched in the pouring rain on the way to class and now it looks like you rolled out of the sewer, own it. Walk into that building with your head up. If you do, you’ll be surprised at the results. People feed off of optimism and more often than not, won’t even notice how incredibly terrible you feel if you don’t show it on your face. We all have those days. Keep up a positive attitude and it’ll help mask whatever doubts you have about yourself to the public.
4. You are in charge of your happiness.
Even though there are a lot of wonderful, good people in the world, there are still some very awful ones out there who will try to break you down. You can’t let them. You have to get up every morning, look at yourself in the mirror and decide that you’re not going to pay attention to anyone who will make you feel inferior. You are not mediocre. You are excellent, brilliant, and are going places.
5. One mistake does NOT give you the right to label yourself as a failure.
It’s okay to have an initial mental breakdown (and eat your entire fridge) but you have to move past it. Everything is temporary unless you choose for it not to be. You’ll get past the pain and be grateful for the experience eventually.
6. There’s going to be many times you are going to feel as if you have no idea what you’re doing with your life.
I’m talking NO IDEA. You’ll wake up and want to lay right back down (but you won’t). You’ll get up and go about your day pretending you have your life together.
7. You can't plan everything.
Life happens. You’ll be sitting in class one day and realize that you hate everything about your major. You’ll be hanging out with someone and realize that you never want to see them again because they make you feel like leftover meatloaf. You’ll be looking at yourself in the mirror all done up and realize that you’d be so much happier in sweats and a ponytail. So do it; switch your major, remove the negativity from your life, put on the sweatpants. Change is good. Let things get messy. Take the plunge and do something not in the plan.
