Well it’s that time of year again: back to school season. Every store is having some sort of special with the same advertisement of the happy kids in all new clothes jumping in the air, so excited for the first day of school. All of the notebooks, pencils, and binders bring all of the memories back. The excitement for the first day of school. You were always so eager to buy new schools supplies and to see what new things your friends had bought, what teachers you would have, and where your desk would be.

The excitement has definitely diminished since then, though, and a dull dread has begun to slowly replace it. The dread of exams, presentations, and group projects (because you just know you’re going to be the one who does all the work). You remember how peaceful it was when all of your assignments could be done in class and if you didn’t finish, well, there was always tomorrow. But now all you can think of are all of those late nights writing papers fueled by coffee and adrenaline. You begin to think of how sweet and peaceful it was in elementary school, where you would step into your one classroom and set up your desk just so, never having to worry about getting lost or being late because all of the teachers came to you.

Now your body clenches every time you think of that first-day frenzy. Running to find each classroom, all of which are obviously in different buildings on very high floors. Trying to keep track of how many assignments you have that are worth 75% of your grade -- you’re up to seven now. And of course trying to decide if you really should order that $700 book that the professor swears you need and will fail without, but in all honesty you know you will never touch. All of this is enough to even give Bob Marley a heart attack. But as soon as you start to really freak out, you suddenly remember you’re in college now. College means freedom. College means no teachers breathing down your neck, no spelling tests or art projects, and no more crazy rules about having to go to class.

If you want to skip your huge intro to sociology lecture that you know you wouldn’t be listening to anyway, no problem. No one is there to tell you what to do, except maybe your mom, but you’re miles away from her anyway -- she can’t do anything. You officially make the rules. And that locker you were reminiscing about decorating? Well, now you have an entire dorm room to deck out and make it look like it came straight from a Crate & Barrel catalog. And as you start to think of all this, your breathing gets easier and you realize going back to school isn’t so bad after all. Sure college can be stressful and it can be a hell of a lot of work, but really at the end of the day, you thank god you’re not in elementary school anymore. You’re in the big leagues, so don’t stress -- just go out and live it up.