Have you ever been in a semi good mood, then you make one screw up and you just sit in class or on your couch silently having a mental breakdown thinking of every single thing that you’ve done wrong in your life lately and since you were born? I know you have, stop lying.
Well, I’m here to tell you this time in our lives is already stressful enough, and putting yourself down because you don’t constantly reflect the qualities of the ideal college student will only add unnecessary stress. So, here are a few things we all need to stop criticizing ourselves for.
- Getting less than average grades. Whether it’s an exam, a quiz, a speech, or an essay, there is no need to hate ourselves over a bad grade. You might have gotten all A’s in high school, but that is not how college works. Don’t dwell on your bad grades, get motivated to better next time.
- Not being social enough. We all know that feeling of complete and utter lameness that washes over us when all our friends are going out and you have a million things to do the next day or would just much rather socialize with Olivia Pope and President Fitz Grant than some random at the bar. You don’t have to go out every night to be fun; everyone knows the two S’s (school and Scandal) come before everything else.
- Not having “the perfect body”. Obviously it’s great to be healthy, but if you feel crushing guilt pressing down on you if you eat a cookie after dinner or fail to make it to the gym every day of the week, that’s not okay. Stop trying to eat salads for every meal; you are not a rabbit. And unless you are training for the Olympics, it’s perfectly okay to take a break from the gym.
- Not being involved in literally every organization on campus. I know resume builders are like crack for motivated college students, but it’s okay to pace yourself. Get involved, or don’t. It’s better to put all your effort into a few things than to spread yourself way too thin.
- Having a depressing bank account. Seriously, do I even need to explain this one? It’s college, people. If you don’t spend the last $10 of your monthly allowance on overpriced drinks long before the month is over, you’re doing it wrong.
- Not being as good as the people around you. There will always be people that are smarter, funnier, prettier, skinnier, and more involved than you. Learning how to deal with that and accept it is a part of life. Just be yourself; no one can beat you at that. Cheesy, but true.
- Doing things that might affect others negatively. I’m not saying to go out of your way to screw people over. I am saying that you can’t make everyone happy all the time, and if you let other people influence your decisions you won’t be able to make yourself happy. Sometimes you just have to do what’s best for you, even if it’s not best for everyone.
- Having no idea what you’re going to do with your life after college. Some people have had a step-by-step plan laid out since kindergarten, but most normal people don’t. Relax. That’s why we’re here, right? Why worry about what you could be doing four years from now when you could be worrying about what toppings you want on your large pizza.
Now go sit on your couch, eat that large pizza and think about how awesome you are.
