"If you're going through hell, keep on going, don't slow down, if you're scared, don't show it. You might get out before the devil even knows you're there." —Rodney Atkins, "If You're Going Through Hell"

One of the absolute best pieces of advice comes from this 10-year-old country song. It's the time of the year that every student dreads: the end of the semester. Finals, final projects, graduation and saying goodbye to friends that are graduating all happen in the next few days. Not to mention that almost every college student is currently saying, "Thank God, this year is almost over."

After almost being done with my junior year of college, I can honestly say that line quite honestly and not exaggerate when I say it. For me, it seemed like ever since this school year started, I've been going through my own personal hell. A week into my fall semester, my best friend, my dad, died. Losing a parent, especially one you consider your best friend, is one of the closest ways to reach hell on this earth, at least in my opinion. It didn't end there, though. In the fall, I came very close to failing my biology class and lab, found out my uncle had cancer and overextended myself and pushed myself too quickly into getting back into a regular routine. I broke down more times than I could have counted, and it seemed like the world was resting on my freaking shoulders. What made it worse is that I couldn't call my dad to vent or complain or even ask for his advice. I had to figure it out on my own. Which is exactly what this whole song alludes to.

One of the most important parts of the song, Atkins sings the lines "But the good news is there's angels everywhere out on the street/Holdin' out a hand to pull you back up on your feet/The one's that you've been draggin' for so long/You're on your knees might as well be prayin'". Atkins is saying that even though you're going through this crap right now, you have to find your "angels" who help you navigate through this thing called life and honestly, that was the part that hit home for me. After my father's passing, I found out who my real friends were, the ones that helped (and are still helping) me through my grieving.

So I guess what I'm trying to say here is that life is going to put you through hell, in one way or another. We all have our battles and our own devils to deal with. There's no denying that. But we need to get through it because honestly, that's the only way to become a better and stronger person, and you learn so much along the way. And if you are a person who is having a rough time, reach out to others, whether they be close friends or just a random stranger. You'd be surprised at the number of good conversations I've had when I've talked about my dad's passing so openly.

Regardless, if you are going through hell, just keep on going. Whether it is dealing with the stress of finals or it's dealing with the grief of losing a loved one, don't give up because I'm telling you, it's so worth it when you get on the other side and are able to say, "I did it. I got through this. What's next?"

This is what got me through this year. If it wasn't for the fact that I know that I was pushing through all this crap to get to the other side, I wouldn't have made it. Hopefully you make it through to the other side as well.