Ahh, college, the best years of our lives. The wonderful years of six midterms in the same week, 4 huge projects due on the same day, and $500 worth of textbooks every semester. We love being in college, and wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Not.

College is amazing, and most students do love college. But, as a junior, I have realized that it only gets more intense and more difficult. The beginning of the school year is great, your professors seem nice, and you continue to grow your friendships from the past two years. But, as the semester goes on, the assignments get tougher, the readings get longer, and the grades get harder. Junior year is the year professors start to expect more than has ever been expected of you, even in lower-level courses.

On top of the courses themselves becoming more difficult, this is also the year most students move off campus, get a part-time (or full time) job on top of going to school, have to look for internships, and overall just have more on their plate in life. Money dwindles quicker, less accessible resources are available, and you forget about that one thing... what was it called... oh yeah, sleep!

Most students at this point in their college career have settled into their major and are trying to get as prepared as possible for that blessed graduation date. We are looking to build our resumes as much as we can and learn every possible skill to be able to get a job after we graduate. We are stressed out, stretched thin, and BROKE!

This is where you come in. When you are talking to your friends or family that are in college, at any point in their college career, but especially those in their junior, senior, or above years... Tell them how much you love them, how proud you are of them, and how good they look. Trust me, we know we look like we haven't slept since 2008. But to hear those kind words that we are doing well, and that someone is proud of all of the work we put in, it works wonders.

Brag about your college students online. Brag about us to your friends. Text us asking what are major is or where our internship is because you're bragging to friends and wanted to make sure you bragged correctly about the awesome job we are doing. We need the extra push to the finish line. We are so happy to have family that loves us, and the more you tell us the more we can thrive in this vicious life we all live.