It’s that time of the semester again. You’re catching up to catch up on your work that you forgot to do. Deadlines, assignments, exams, and homework are all piling up on your to-do lists while you’re choosing to go to the nearest bar downtown with your friends or wasting money you’re supposed to be saving at Panera instead of just finishing those assignments that you’ve been professionally procrastinating for a few weeks now. It’s to the point where your to-do lists have to-do lists and you’re questioning whether or not you actually NEED this degree. It’s also negative degrees outside, you don’t want to get out of bed other than to make food, you forgot the last time you went to the gym, and to top it all off it’s cuffing season (because who wants to do all of the cute fall/winter activities alone?) Needless to say, it will get better. We’re all almost through with fall semester, but sometimes it’s hard to look on the positive side when everything seems so cold and gloomy. These five things can help you think less negatively and maybe even help you pull through:

1. Thanksgiving break is in a few short weeks

Five full days to FINALLY catch up on things you’ve been putting off without new assignments piling on top, or even better, a chance to finally relax and forget about the worries (if that’s possible).

2. Winter break is in the distance

The best thing about college, aside from the freedom, friends, and living the “college” lifestyle is the fact that you and all of your home friends get a complete month off for winter break to fit in working for some extra money, and ripping things up like you used to do in high school.

3. Christmas

Who isn’t excited about that?

4. New Semester, New Me

All of the procrastination, assignments, and deadlines of this semester will pass. And spring semester is a time to fulfill all of those New Years resolutions. Whether that may be getting yourself to go to the gym, or starting fresh with new classes and trying to stay on top of all of the work. Keyword, trying. They’ll be new stressors come January, but hopefully, the time off will get you ready to come right back at it. Another positive: it's going to start getting warmer.. or if you live in New England, well, you never really know.

Last but not least...

5. it could be worse.

You’re not alone. Everyone goes through the times where they want to give up but staying positive and pushing through will benefit you in the long run. Big reminder: you do NEED that degree.