It's not always going to be easy.

In fact, it rarely ever will.

Some days are more difficult than others for sure, but even the less difficult days tend to be a struggle. It's going to be hard to get out of bed and go to class, or do any homework, or study, or do a whole lot of anything. And, it only gets harder if you have other engagements outside school like a job, or a family.

You might find it impossible to keep up, and sometimes you may want to quit. But, the important thing is that you never, ever do.

Not everyone will always understand or even care, and it may really, really hurt. It's important to realize, though, that the only person whose acceptance and care really matters is your own.

How and when you decide what's within your best ability is not up to other people. Your one-hundred-percent at the current moment may only be fifty-percent – or less – to others. But it doesn't matter – your well-being, and determination that no matter what you will get through this is all that matters.

Outside pressure may be a hard pill to swallow, but the biggest and most bitter pill is accepting your own pressure. There will be nights where you sit up remembering what it was like when you were put in the gifted program, and were so intelligent, and got the best grades. You knew what you wanted out of life and you'd do anything to get it. But now, you feel broken, a thousand miles away from even the smallest goal and not even having the motivation to achieve it. You used to be driven, you used to be powerful – and now you feel like a slave to whatever it is in your mind that is holding back.

Despite that, despite yourself and others, it's so important to remember two things.

First, you're not alone. There are thousands of people who feel the same way that you do, and who struggle every day to work towards their goals when they have that same little voice inside their head telling them that they don't have a future. Sure, there will be people who don't get it, but there will also be a lot of people who do too. Connect with people who understand and empathize with you, who get where you're coming from. Never feeling alone will get you feeling somewhat normal again.

Second, you will always get through it. Life will get really hard, and that voice in your head may never shut up, but what it will, also, never do is kill you unless you let it. Interrupting those thoughts with positivity, blasting music while doing something productive – whether big or small or doing other positive activities like journaling or going to therapy are all key to keeping your mind and heart in a positive place.

Support and positivity are some of the most important things to making it through the dark times, but most of all, never forget to tell yourself how strong, intelligent, and powerful you are, and that you will inevitably become the person you've always wanted to be will bring you out of them and into the light you need to succeed.