Whether you’re going to school for an associate’s, bachelor’s, and or even a higher degree, you’re bound to experience an “off semester,” or one that’s challenging in ways that you weren’t expecting prior to the beginning of the term. This can be caused by any number of things, such as falling ill for an extended period of time, feeling social pressures, or taking classes that are unexpectedly difficult. But, regardless of this, always remember that college is not by any means a competition.

Even if you find yourself in a downward spiral, there is always time to pick yourself back up. It’s not a race to the finish line. Take a deep breath, collect yourself, and then put in the work to ascend back to where you were before. If you don’t do well in a class, it’s okay. You can’t beat yourself up any more than you already have. You get back on the horse and put your all into the next semester. You may have to retake the class, but it isn’t a competition. Everyone is here for the same reason: to pursue each of his or her dreams. As long as you don’t throw in the towel on your passion, you’ll remain golden. You have to have hope.

There’s a wide variety of ways to help yourself. First, drink lots of water. Keep yourself hydrated. Water helps pretty much everything in the body, including the brain and mental wellness. If you think you’re getting sick or do get sick, take care of yourself. I know this seems self-explanatory, but it’s so easy to put it off, especially at college. It seems like a huge inconvenience to go to the doctor when you live on, or even off, campus, but if you don’t get it taken care of, it will negatively impact your grades. Trust me.

In no circumstance, and I mean none, is it acceptable to compare yourself to others. You’re doing your best, and even if you’re not, you’re working on improving. So don’t compromise that effort by self-sabotaging it and feeling poorly about yourself. College isn’t a competition, so others’ grades, GPAs, internships, etc. mean nothing in comparison to you. Also, never forget that universities offer counselors on campus that you can go talk to if you’re slump gets worse and develops into something worse.

Everyone here is rooting for you. Professors are here to help you succeed and will gladly spend time with you if you have questions. Take advantage of their office hours. Other students should also gladly be lifting you up and attempting to help in any ways they can. If we don’t lift each other up, we’ll never improve. If someone is tearing you down, it’s time to say goodbye because you don’t deserve that pessimism. With everyone here to help you, you’re bound to bounce back from this “off semester,” live to fight another day, and most importantly, show everyone what exactly you can do.