It's that time in the semester. Midterms. While we should all be working hard to do well on our exams, it's important to keep things in perspective so that you don't have a mental breakdown.

In college, it's easy to equate your worth with the numbers on your transcript, but there's a whole lot more to life than that. Here are 8 things more important than your GPA, mainly focused on the way we choose to spend our time.

1. Mental Health

Far too many students sacrifice their mental health for grades. It's easy to push it aside because no one can see when your mental health is suffering. "If my grades are good, at least you'll I'll look like I have it together."

If you're struggling with anxiety, depression, or any other mental illness, make getting well a priority. Take the time you need so that you feel good about yourself and your life going into each day.

2. Physical Health (Sleep; Eating Well)

Good lord, go to bed! Why is every person I know always sleep deprived? And please take some time out of your day to eat something that isn't just "fast" food. You deserve it!

Trust me, I know we have an impossible amount of work to do, but sometimes it seriously just isn't worth the sacrifice, and you can't do high quality work if you aren't healthy anyway.

3. Fostering and Nurturing Healthy Relationships

Yes, there is such thing as too many social events, and there are times when you have to say no to having fun with friends in order to get work done. But don't forget the importance of spending time with the people who really matter to you.

Whether it's seeing your friend in a play or supporting their business, having interesting conversations with interesting people, or just sitting down and enjoying someone's company, some things can't just be put off until tomorrow.

4. Actually Learning

Surprise! You can get good grades and still get nothing out of a class. You can also learn a lot and not do well on your tests and assignments. Contrary to popular belief, GPA and knowledge do not always correlate.

Sometimes, busy work just isn't the most productive use of your time. Sometimes, a professor's teaching method just isn't working for you. Maybe there's a more productive way for you to use your brain power today.

5. Personal Growth

It's easy to forget that growth is more than just increasing the amount of information in our heads. It's important to check in with yourself sometimes. Get to know yourself, see if anything has changed. Identify your interests and set goals that reflect who you are.

Dedicate time to being alone with yourself. Practice being kinder to the people in your life, learn a new instrument, work on loving yourself a little bit more. I promise, spending time with yourself can be extremely rewarding.

6. Enjoying Life

Once upon a time, all I ever did was homework, and I was miserable. If this sounds like you, consider maybe getting a zero here or there for the sake of doing something else meaningful with your time. It's liberating, really.

Or, enjoying life could even mean something as simple as walking a little slower and noticing the world around you or breathing a little deeper. Whatever it is, those few extra moments dedicated to living more fully will have been time well spent.

7. Following Your Passions/Creativity

If you don't see the purpose in what you're dedicating your life to, you might want to reassess the path you're on. If you are truly passionate about what you're doing, who cares about getting A's?

Also, if you have a sudden moment of inspiration, it's okay to set your daily tasks to the side for a minute and see where it takes you! You never know what a small idea can lead to if you give it the time and space to grow.

8. Gaining Real Life Experience

We're all familiar with the mitochondria joke. You know, the one where none of us know how taxes work, but at least we know that the mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell? When you're worried about your GPA, remember that.

If you have the opportunity to take on real-life responsibilities and figure out what it means to be an adult, do it. A degree won't help you much if you don't know how to manage your finances, build a resume, or interview for a job.

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By no means am I saying that doing well in school is pointless, but I see so many people around me treating GPA like it's a life or death situation, and I want to remind everyone that there is life outside of that little decimal point. It's all about finding balance.