In the wake of Ash Wednesday, we have officially entered the Lenten season - the 40 or so days before the Triduum and Easter Sunday. (PS - The Triduum is the three days that precede Easter).

Being a practicing Catholic while at college is enough of a struggle on it's own. Being a practicing Catholic at college during Lent can be a downright nightmare. If you've been treading water this past week trying to fulfill Lenten obligations while carrying on your usual college lifestyle, you are not alone.

Whether you attend a college with a strong, moderate, or non-existent religious atmosphere, there are some problems that any Catholic student will run across during Lent. While being at a school that offers more resources for religious services or outlets for religious practice can definitely make life easier for these students, the Easter season poses new problems that even campus ministry might not have the solution to.

Catholics hit the ground running during Lent. There's no gentle ease into it. No, the Church says, jump right into abstaining from meat and fasting today.

Fasting in the Catholic Church is defined as limiting your intake to one normal meal, and two smaller meals, which put together do not equal the larger meal in quantity. It is required only two days out of the liturgical year - Good Friday and Ash Wednesday.

Okay, you think, I can't eat as much as I normally would today, but it's not like I can't eat at all. Don't be fooled. The amount of energy a busy college student needs is definitely not fitting into those tiny portions.

Maybe if you were to stay in your room all day and do some light homework you would feel fine. But imagine you have a big test and all you can think about is how tired or hungry you feel. Or heaven forbid you're an athlete - no way are you completing a workout or practice on that amount.

But Ash Wednesday is in the past, so you are halfway through your fasting obligation. Then you remember - meatless Fridays. Unless you're already a vegetarian, this can put a real damper on your Friday-night dinner plans with your friends.

You could easily order something without meat, but depending on your school's location, quality vegetarian options might be hard to come by. Plus, when all your friends have a big hamburger in front of them and you had to order the Caesar salad because the local diner's veggie options were basically spinach or potatoes, you feel a little left out.

Even in the school dining hall, you can run into issues with questionable seafood, scarce vegetarian options, and lame salad bars. Lent forces you to get creative with your meals, which a college student doesn't necessarily have time for.

Another struggle? Church. Finding a Church that's near you, has Mass that accommodates your schedule, and being able to find transportation if you're not in a city or town can prove difficult. Catholic school students, be thankful for the campus chapel.

Last but not least is the ultimate and perpetual struggle of sticking to your Lenten sacrifice. Cursing, coffee, chocolate, alcohol, Netflix. Whatever you've given up is probably one of the sole things that has been keeping you going this semester.

Without it, where are you finding the motivation to complete work, get out of bed, stay healthy? Short answer: you're probably not.

Lent can be a stressful time for practicing Catholic college students. Take time each day to just sit, reflect on your intentions and goals for the day, and remember that at the end of this all, you get candy and Jesus. Look forward to it!