As I was sitting in the library at 4 AM for the second night in a row, I started to think about what a crazy year it has been already. The projects I have had, the tests each week and the never-ending days. I opened up my agenda and began counting the days until the end of the semester. In my mind it is only a few weeks away, because how could a semester be just at the beginning and be this hard? As I continued to count the days my heart grew heavy, more than 50 days until Christmas break.

How could this be? I let out a deep sigh, and everyone else who was in the library with me looked over at me with an understanding face. Only six of us remained in the library, all of us with dark circles under our eyes and shaky hands from our endless amount of black coffee.

I am not sure when college turned from studying during the week for a few hours each day, to spending every hour that they day has to offer in the library. Somewhere between May and this fall semester things got real, real fast. When I think about the fact that I have gotten a minimal amount of sleep this year, and I think about all the things I could do if I dropped out of college, I try to remember why I am here.

I spend a hefty chunk of change to spend four nights in a row at the library until 4 AM. I may complain about it now in grave detail, but I know that at the end of my four years I will be thankful for the late nights. I will be thankful for the job I have, the job I spent hours upon hours working to achieve the qualifications to be hired for. I will be thankful for the friends I made on the walk home at 4 AM, both of us laughing at how hysterically delusional we are. I will be thankful for the roof over my head, and the big comfy couch that I can sink into after a long day. I will be thankful for the vacations I am able to take because I have worked hard enough to have a job that allows me to take some time for myself.

So, while I sit in the library yet another night, and the clock strikes 2:30 AM, this time I will smile rather than sigh. This time, I will think about all of the amazing things that my hard work will bring me later in life. I will think about how thankful I am to have the opportunity to be studying for my business management class.

Life is about perspective, and today I have decided to make lemonade with my lemons.