I was sitting in the library this past week complaining about how much work I had and how many tests and assignments I had.

In an effort to console me, my friend told me that one bad grade does not affect me in any way and that I should not let my exams define me.

This got me thinking about how this line was the biggest line that I had ever heard.

As someone who wants to go to one of the best graduate schools in the country and eventually one of the best medical schools, I feel like I need to work hard and that every grade, remark, and criticism I get will only help me get better and better at what I do!

As I got through the past week, and since finals week is soon approaching, I realized that that would mean more stress and tension for me.

I also realized how much unnecessary stress I take and how this stress of mine leads to several unhealthy habits of mine.

I realized that due to my laziness and habit to procrastinate I had accumulated work for me which if I had started right when they had given it to me, I would have had a lesser workload.

I also realized that due to this stress I began to have panic attacks and began to think inferior of myself.

Every time a new problem arose or something did not go the way I imagined it would, I would sit down and either cry or panic so much that it would make me angry.

Another problem I encountered was that I realized that I had begun to stress eat.

I would experience stress or fear failure and feel like binge eating or continuously eating different things.

After the week ended, I began reflecting on the roller coaster ride that that week had been for me and I realized how poorly I manage time and how I let it affect me.

We are responsible for who we are.

So if I believe that I want myself to get the best education and go to the top universities. I believe that should take things in my hand.

My grades do define me and what I do and how I prepare for these tests shape my future and pave a path for me.

Furthermore, I realized that if I know I have something due I should get working on it a little in advance rather than saving it for the end.

Saving everything 'til the end only leads me to self-destruction.

I begin feeling inferior, I lose my confidence, I begin stress eating and panicking.

While I now realize that these are unhealthy signs, this is what got me through last week and now that I reflect back on it, things should not be this way!

Being a college student, this may seem normal and common for everyone, but as someone who experienced it, all I can say was that it was harsh and troublesome.

So today as I vent out my experience I cannot be glad that I went through that hard a week to realize that sometimes you do not have to go through unnecessary hardships to get a good outcome.

If I want something I should plan for it and work towards it.