Time is closing in for students. That's right, finals and the end of the semester are looming, and it's looking like it's going to be another major suck fest...just like last year. Chances are, if you're like me, you are in the midst of a panic-driven, self-loathing induced cramming session to make sure you're keeping up to date with all of your classes and making up the work you missed due to family emergencies or being sick, just hoping to finish the semester off in one piece.

No doubt, there's been a point when you wondered how bad things would be if you dropped out -- whether you were seriously thinking about following through or just wanted to make an empty threat to feel like you were in control of something for a moment, but you're still hanging in there. Everyone processes this kind of situation differently, but the stages of thought in times when you feel there's too much pressure to handle generally go a little something like this:

1. Realizing just how much work you have to do to even be ready to study

2. Trying to gauge if you've hit rock bottom yet

"Tell me it can't get worse!" But you know it can and will.

3. Deciding that you won't make it to rock bottom before the inevitable hits

4. And then it hits...

5. And gets worse until your friends are embarrassed to be seen with you in public

"You are making a scene!" "How could you even say that to me?!" *sobs intensify*

6. Having to pull yourself together enough to update your parents on everything

7. And listening to them tell you not to worry

"I don't know what it's like to live any other way!"

8. But actually feeling better when they tell you that they love you

Care packages containing cookies definitely help, too!

9. Finally settling in and getting your head on straight

10. And digging into all of that work

It's not all going to go smoothly. Sometimes you have to give yourself some tough love.

11. Getting past that work and feeling relieved

"Crushed it!"

12. Being reminded that you're not done. You haven't even started studying for your exams yet

"Crap..."

13. Admitting to yourself that you've never studied before in your life

14. Skimming through entire textbooks

15. And consulting Google for clarification

Turns out I know nothing... or the internet lies... probably both.

16. Resigning yourself to the fact that there's no more use "studying"

Rolling into bed for some much-needed sleep is much more useful.

17. Walking into the exam and having your professor ask if you're ready

Do I get pity points if I cry?

18. Walking out of your last final -- good or bad

The end of the semester is just around the corner, guys! Until we hit that point, we've just got to deal and try to motivate ourselves to care enough about our education to try. I mean, we have made it here already, so that in itself is a good enough reason to carry on.

Here's to making it through and trying to forget that it's all just going to start up again next semester...unless you're graduating...in which case, grab yourself a beer and celebrate the fact that you're graduating! Oh...and good luck on that whole job thing. From what I hear, it can be a real pain.