Since starting college, life has become way more hectic than ever before. Homework, projects, exams, extracurriculars, there are always a million things on our plates. Just when you think you finish one thing, BOOM there are 10 more that you have to get done. I have never had the problem of not enough time in my day until I got to college. Who would have thought 24 hours could go by feeling like only 10 minutes? Sometimes it feels like life is just one big to-do list.

There are definitely things that I would love to do with my day, like see my friends, enjoy a nice coffee, go for a workout, binge watch some Netflix but no, for right now you can just catch me on the second floor of Club Morris every afternoon. And like most of you, my to-do list is constantly changing. This week I have two tests and a presentation, next week I have other things to worry about. Whether I’m adding something or taking something off, all I’m ever concerned about is how I’m going to get everything done.

As I call my mom to complain for the third time this week, she reminds me that if I want to have time to do something, all I have to do is make time for it. It’s hard to see that as a possibility when there are five assignments staring me in the face, but in reality, my day is what I make of it. If I let myself worry too much about everything I have to do, then the stress will take over before I can regain control. If I cut a few minutes out from studying for this exam and finish my assignments early in the week, I can make more time for things I actually want to do.

I guess what I’m saying is, your day, your week, and your life is what you make of it. We can’t only worry about getting the next thing done when there are so many other things right in front of us. Take time out of your day to laugh with your friends, go out for your favorite lunch, or just relax for a little in your cozy bed. Soon you’ll realize that you’re back in control of your life. The more you complain, the less time you have for yourself. The more you procrastinate, the longer the work will actually take. And the longer you wait to do all these things, the more you’ll be missing out on being happy.

In college we think our lives revolve around our GPA’s, but it’s equally important to live in the moment. So let loose a little, give yourself a break, hey maybe even take a nap! You need to let yourself be okay with not constantly checking things off your to do list, because by the time you realize accomplishing every single thing you want to get done isn’t always realistic, it might be too late. So here is my best advice! Don’t stress! Take a breath! Give yourself a break! Trust me the world isn’t going to end and you might even find that by giving yourself some grace, you could end up getting your list done better than if you hadn’t.