I know what it is like to feel like you are in way too deep. Just in way over your head.

You probably feel like you are drowning. You have one class that just gave out an exam and a three-page paper. You sit in a lecture and feel like you're wasting your time because you feel like you should be doing anything else productive. You have at least two meetings a week, riiiight between two of your classes, just close enough to where you don't have to run, but you are speed walking faster than the middle-aged women at the mall. Your sorority or fraternity wants you to donate a bunch of your time and/or money that you just don't have. You have a job that cuts into time that you need to study, but you also cannot afford to not make that extra $8.50.

I am there. I have been there. In a way, I am also writing this in order to encourage myself.

I know that the struggle is real and that having so much on your plate can be debilitating. Sometimes, it feels like there is so much to do that I can't even think of anything I have to get done. If I sit for 15 minutes between classes, I automatically start beating myself up over it because I could have written an extra 200 words on that Odyssey Online article that is due soon. Or get an extra three problems done on that exam prep sheet from my statistics class. Or sign up for some extra events in my fraternity. Taking a breath is a waste of time. I understand that.

What can't be forgotten, though, is that taking a step back and taking in your surroundings can be so much more beneficial than pushing yourself past your daily limit.

We've all heard people say they'd rather "work smarter than work harder," and there's a lot to learn from that. It is exhausting to constantly function like a robot, going through the same motions every week. Worrying can actually be very detrimental to getting work done. It can cloud your mind so much that there is no room for focusing. There are so many benefits from a mental detox. I'm not suggesting that you drop every piece of work you have for a day or skip all of your classes and sleep. However, it can be helpful to plan times where you can just sit for 45 minutes and listen to music or read a book outside or even take a small catnap.

Try planning your day hour by hour, and then decide if you need to freak out.

Trust me when I say it can be difficult to follow a schedule. Keeping a planner has always been hard for me because I tend to procrastinate or do things at my own pace (which can be dangerous). But, if you really think about it, you probably have more time in the day than you think. How long will it take you to finish that worksheet if you work diligently? Maybe an hour? Well, you have over an hour between your first two classes. Why not dedicate one hour on Tuesday to finish that one worksheet? Oh, you need to study for that biology exam that is next Wednesday? Dedicate two hours of your time every day or every other day to each topic the exam will be over. I think that a lot of the struggles we place on ourselves can be lessened by strategic planning. Of course, not everyone is the same.

Maybe your busy struggle isn't the problem.

Maybe you're just down. I understand that as well. You don't feel like you have what it takes to make it through the semester or the rest of your college career. Relationships in your life aren't panning out as you planned, and maybe you have caught yourself slacking on personal care. Maybe you skipped a couple of days of showering, and maybe you have only eaten popcorn and Nutella for a couple of your meals lately. On days like that, think of halfway solutions that won't require your entire commitment and effort. Use dry shampoo or put your hair in a messy bun. Instead of popcorn or Nutella, make a microwave dinner, even if it's just some sort of gross pasta meal. Little victories are still victories and take them all in strife.

Maybe you just feel like you're drowning in general.

Nothing is easy. Everything is hard. There doesn't seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel. If it is any consolation at all, there is a light. Maybe it isn't a bright strobe light. Maybe it isn't even a candle. Maybe it's a small spark that you thought you saw but weren't sure. It isn't just a trick of the mind, I guarantee.

The semester is coming to an end. Some of the struggles will be put on pause, or even a stop altogether. Some of them may continue, but that is not a bad thing. Struggles are normal. And I promise you can get through all of them.