Classes can be one of the most stressful experiences during your college career. Especially when you go into harder, upper-level classes as each school year passes. By senior year, you're in 500-600 level classes and are struggling with large amounts of homework. Now, I'm speaking from personal experience, so do not let this detour your college plans. As a college senior, I want to be as honest as possible for all you incoming and returning college students.

This past summer, I decided to take summer courses and ended up with a total of fourteen credit hours. I will not lie and say it was an easy five weeks with simple course work because it was not. The classes were rigorous due to a short time span. I found I was struggling with parts of my summer classes because I was stretching myself thin between them, as well as, working between classes. On top of this busy schedule, I was doing up to twenty-eight hours a week of homework and reviewing for exams.

I could see the effects of this schedule on my grades as they began to drop in the first week of assignments and exams. I found myself not focusing on important topics I needed to know because I was overly focused on broader information. The realization hit me hard one night during the second week of classes because I knew if I did not pick up the pace and focus on what I needed to do, then I would suffer the consequences. These consequences affecting me academically and mentally.

Academically, I knew if I did not get my act together, then my GPA would be greatly affected. Mentally, I realized I was tiring myself out and stressing over the littlest things. This caused me to not focus on information in class; therefore, I was hindering myself academically even more. Upon these realizations, I reached out to my professors and other students in my classes to ask for help on the material.

In the process, I met some amazing people who really helped me learn the class material and understand and apply it. I learned different ways of looking at problems in order to come up with the best solution. These people helped me understand and took time out of their schedules to help me.

Without their help, I would not have got a handle on the material for these summer courses and would not have the grades I do right now. I am successfully completing all my classes thanks to my peers helping me with studying and homework. They also helped me relax and realize I don't need to continuously beat myself up about struggling with coursework. I learned it's okay to ask for help. I also learned to acknowledge your limits.

There is only so much work you can do in a day. The peers that helped me out in my classes also became some of my closest friends. We talk about school work, but can also have casual conversations about anything.

Two of my friends from my Calculus II class are now great friends to me outside of school. We will all go out for coffee and talk about our days. We can have debates on politics, life, and lots of other topics. These conversations and debates are relaxed without tension or fear of judgment.

These two friends have helped me in our math class, but also have helped me, in reality, become more comfortable with people in general. They are as expressive and passionate about ideas as I am. We have great times together and know how to relax after stressful days from a combination of school and working. Without these two wonderful people, I would not be passing my classes. They are truly my saving graces.

I am blessed to have met these two amazing people and all my other friends from these summer classes because without them, I don't think I would have done as well as I did academically. This entire summer semester has been a learning experience for me. I may be a senior in college, but I'm still learning every day. The reason for me telling you all of this is not to worry you or stress you, but to help you realize something. A lesson I learned that not only applies to school, but life as a whole.

You can always go each day thinking you know what you're doing or feeling like you have to do everything on your own. However, that is not necessarily the case. Life is filled with crazy ups and downs.

There will be hardships and easy moments, but the end goal is to keep pushing yourself to do better. My friends from class this summer have been a saving grace for me. I'm very appreciative of them for supporting and helping me throughout these last five weeks.

The lesson I learned that I want to share with all of you is this; always seek out help when you need it. Keep this in mind as you are completing college because it will definitely come in handy. Take it from a college senior. I have had so many experiences in the past few years of college, yet I'm still learning.