Since I've started college two years ago I've constantly worried about so many different things: About that midterm coming up in a few days, my deadline for my next school newspaper article, making plans with my friends, my job. The list goes on and on. Now that I am entering my junior year, the worry has not simmered down by any means. I have also recently hit a few rough patches in my life and it seems as though my worry has skyrocketed.

I know that worrying so much about things that probably will not matter 10 years, or even one year from now is no use. It can severely damage physical and emotional health. Sadly, I have learned that the hard way. I am exhausted all the time, usually have to force myself to go out with friends, and I feel as though that lately the only emotions I am capable of producing are depression, anxiety and sadness.

I have been thinking about many of the things that have happened not only in my college career but in my life so far, and I have come to realize that this lifestyle of constant worry is not the way to go and that I am not doing the best that I can for myself. I can be way more than just a Dean's List student or Editor-in-Chief of my school newspaper.

What I am really trying to say is that it is so important to kick back and take care of yourself every once in a while. Let your hair down a little. Go ahead and go to that party. Have a drink or two. Or say no if you're not up to it. Stay home and have a night in with Netflix and pizza if you want some alone time. Take breaks in between studying. Go to the gym. Eat healthy foods. Or eat that piece of cake that's calling your name. Whatever "butters your biscuit" as a friend of mine always says.

Nobody else can take care of you. Only you know yourself best and if you're not going to be the one that takes the initiative, then who else will? There is more to life than just worrying about the future 24/7. Sometimes you just need to live in the moment. Nobody-knows for certain what the future holds. Because once you reach the future, say 10 years from now, you'll probably look back on your life and come to regret not taking care of yourself better or going out and having fun once in a while. I'm still a work in progress myself, but I truly believe that you cannot be the best version of yourself until you learn self-love. What I did learn, however, is that taking care of yourself better can really make you feel so much better in the long run. And I think that is what makes it so important.