Dear college student,

I know exactly how you feel right now. You’re feeling enormous amounts of stress and don’t think you’re going to be able to make it these next few weeks. With papers to write, exams to take, and let alone the stress you deal with on a daily basis, you’re probably wondering how the heck you’re going to finish this school year out with good grades. It’s a strong chance that you’re probably in the library right now and you have a million other things on your mind that you know you shouldn’t. Why does that always seem to be the case? You’re well aware you have homework and studying to do, yet you find yourself thinking about everything except what you should be. You’re wondering what’s going on this weekend, why that guy you like isn’t texting you back and what you’re going to eat for dinner later. None of which involve that statistics test that you have this coming week. Well, I’m here to tell you that you can do this, and here’s how.

First off, as hard as it may be, put your phone down. Last semester during the last week of school my phone completely broke, and it was the best thing to ever happen to me. Sure, it sucked not being able to communicate with my friends, but I wasn’t nearly as distracted when it came to studying for exams. Along with putting your phone down, don’t get on Facebook. Just don’t do it. I’m that girl that comes to the library, and the first tab I find myself opening is Facebook. There’s just something about knowing you have tons of work to do that makes you want to do everything but that. But I guarantee you that by turning your phone off for a few hours (those texts will be there when you pick it up later), and by not getting on social media websites while you’re supposed to be on blackboard looking over notes, your GPA will thank you later.

One word: boys. Just don’t worry about them. They will still be there after exams are over, and if you’re smart, then you shouldn’t be bothering with them anyway. You want your future husband to ace his exams as well, right? Well, if you’re constantly texting him and putting all your attention on how to respond to “What are you doing later?” then you aren’t giving him a chance to study either. So instead, just do yourself both a favor and worry about your schoolwork.

However, if you can’t find yourself being able to do any of what I just said, just know that it isn’t the end of the world. Of course, grades matter and you should be applying yourself, but don’t think that because you make a bad grade that you’re screwed. You definitely aren’t. There just comes a point where you realize what really matters and what doesn’t as much. The grades you make now really do have an impact on your future and what job you will end up having. So yeah, Instagram seems tempting and so does texting back all my friends, but I’ll study for my exams instead because my future depends on it.

Best of luck,

Your fellow college student