So, it is my second semester of my freshman year of college. I have never been this stressed out in my life. Having to balance between changing majors, landing a great new job, going through sorority recruitment, having a boyfriend and keeping up with my friends is way too much to handle. Unfortunately, I had to cut some things out of my life. I’m glad that I did.

Class, work, physical and mental health should always be your top three priorities while in college. Sure, social life is what might be the first thing on your mind, but what has kept me grounded is remembering the reason why I am at college: to get an education! I have such big dreams for the future and I know that many people are in my shoes as well. The only way to accomplish those dreams is to stay focused, confident and stress-free. Consequently, having to worry about what life will be like in the years to come only adds more stress to an already demanding situation.

Please do not get me wrong, college is arguably the best four years of life for the people that do attend. So many fresh opportunities arise like new friends, new romantic interests, new jobs, sporting events, joining clubs, and a level of knowledge that most people have not yet experienced before. Everything is so exciting and it is undeniably hard to take it in all at once. I praise the people who try to balance all of these things at once. I have even tried it myself.

If you are anything like me, you did it all in high school. I was varsity cheerleading captain and a volunteer youth cheerleading coach. I gave so much of my time to Key Club and community service in general, all while working as a nanny. Because of this, I thought handling so many priorities in college would be a breeze, but I was mistaken. And that’s okay. It is extremely hard to transition from being so busy and handling things so well to having to handle a few stressful things, but I am glad that I learned to slow down now before my situation took a turn for the worst.

After a few nights of worry and finally a night of absolute and complete emotional breakdown, it was clear to me that I needed to take a break. I needed a break from life, although it sounds strange and even a bit sad. I had too many commitments on my plate at once and it was time to take a step back and realize that. What concerned me the most was that I barely had any time to study or even eat. It was most definitely a wakeup call. There is truly nothing more important in college than devoting time to yourself and I knew that is what I needed to do at this moment. Thankfully, I have an amazing roommate, family, boyfriend and friends to help me through it all because I do not know what I would do without them.

So, after coping with all of this, my greatest advice to all new (and upper-class) college students is to never forget to take a deep breath. When life gets tough, do not be afraid to rearrange your priorities. It will be for the better even if it does not seem like it in the moment. There is always a greater plan and it is so important to remember that everything does happen for a reason. Go out, do big things, study hard, form great friendships, make awesome plans and have a great time while doing it all. Still, always remember to leave time for YOU.