1. At first, you feel nothing but denial about returning to classes.

No. School is not almost here. I am just going to hold off a little bit longer on all my responsibilities. It is still summer!! Psh, I still have plenty of time, I am not going to stress it. Do not worry about me, because I'll be fine.

2. When the denial vanishes and you realize that classes are only three weeks away.

Okay. Maybe I should not have procrastinated as much. Why is it coming up so fast?!?!?! Okay I should probably figure out my schedule, or go school shopping. Okay, realistically I should probably do both. I do not think I can do either on this horrible hangover right now. I am not fine. I am totally stressing. SOMEBODY HELP ME!

3. As the start date of classes becomes closer and you think about everything that needs to get done, you become overwhelmed and start to lose it.

School shopping, not done. Figuring out my schedule, not done. Saving up money so I can work less and focus on my classes, DEFINITELY not done. My mind is overwhelmed. Facial spasms are occurring. Who am I?!?! Okay maybe if I act like a cat I can forget all responsibilities and just lay here in this way too comfortable bed. Okay yeah, probably not.

4. When you begin looking up the prices of your college textbooks and try not to vomit.

Well I'm not taking any science classes so it should not be that bad, right? Alright, let's look up the books for my poetry class first, those should be cheap. WRONG!!! *Opens up and sees that I need 7 books for this one class* Why is each book at least fifty dollars? Is this a sick joke??? I have four more classes that need books. Do they expect me to sell off all my limbs in order to afford all these textbooks?! This is not real life. Please lord let me hold back this vomit that has consumed my body since realizing this catastrophe.

5. After you look up all your professors on RateMyProfessor.com and you realize then that you are in for a seriously rude awakening this semester.

I bet I am going to have the best professors for this semester! Okay, let's start with this professor, she sounds young and has a cool name. *Looks up on site and has one-star ratings and apparently gives 20 hours of homework a week* Who does this woman think she is??? Is our homework going to pay my bills? Is she going to teach me something valuable? Is she going to be a hard-ass simply because she gets paid and she can? Is she going to teach me the words of the Bible and have me preaching about the lord?! Yeah, probably not. This is so not okay.

6. When you log on to your student account and you realize that you were just put on the bottom of the wait list for the one class you need most.

Well, at least I have all my classes set. That is the most important part. Let's double-check my schedule so I can finally write it down now. WAIT!! What does this mean? Why are only four classes showing? *Starts laughing nervously* Haha, okay, maybe it is just hiding.... somewhere. Wait! Alright I found it. Hold on, what does wait-list mean? WHY AM I NUMBER TEN ON THE WAIT-LIST?! Wow, college you played me. Welp, you can catch me here waiting... ya know.... on the wait-list.

7. When friends and family ask if you are ready for the new semester, and you fake smile and nod, but inside you are actually dying because you are NOT ready.

Why must they ask all these questions?? Were they not in college once? Do they not remember how horrible this is?! Maybe if I ignore them and pretend I cannot hear they will stop asking. Okay, that did not work. Smile and wave, Bella... just smile and wave....

8. After you are done pre-stressing and you say "Screw it" because there is nothing you can do, and you are just going to have to make it through the semester like everyone else.

Alright, I know I am not the only one stressing here. Everything is going to be okay. There will definitely be "all-nighters", and days where I want to rip my hair out, but I will make it through. My family, my friends, and fun nights out on the weekend will keep me sane. Just organize yourself, do not procrastinate, and most importantly have fun because you only experience college once. Then it is on to the real world, and that my friends is a whole other level of stress. Relax, live your college life, and enjoy it as best you can!