For some reason, Fall 2016 is the semester of stress for pretty much everyone I know. College hasn’t always been stressful for me, but for some reason, this year is terrible. Between moving, transferring colleges, and helping my parents reopen their business, I’ve had my hands full. I’ve been wondering if I’ve been making the right decisions and following the right path. I’ve come to a conclusion, and I want to share it with all of you. (Prepare for a sappy religious rant)

I’m normally not one to give advice or to get too emotional, but I know there’s some people out there who really need to hear this right now. God has a plan for everyone, guys. Seriously, to every single person reading this, He has a plan for you. You can handle the hard times and the stress because there’s something bigger coming. You’re going through bad things to shape you as a person, to give you knowledge and inspiration. Don’t let the bad situations bring you down, try to find a way to get past it and turn it into a positive. I know it’s a lot harder than it sounds, but it is possible.

Don’t fret about the small things. At this moment in time, you are exactly where you need to be. You might not be as far in life as you wanted, graduation might be delayed by a year, things don’t work out sometimes. It sucks but we just have to trust that there’s a reason these things are happening. There might even be a reason you spilled your coffee and had to change, or you’re hitting every red light when you’re already late, sometimes it’s part of a bigger plan. You might not be prepared for everything coming your way, but you can handle it, I promise.

College can be hard, stressful, and sometimes it seems like the professors are out to get you. Find an uplifting support system, reach out to people that you miss, and be kind. Learn to cut out those that bring you down. Trust your gut feeling, our bodies are smarter than we realize. Let the negative experiences be experiences you learn from, let them teach you to be a better person. Just remember, there’s always someone who cares about you. I know that’s true because God cares, and I do too.

To my readers who don’t believe in God: That’s OK. You might not believe in everything I do, but this still applies to you. You need to know it’s alright and that things will get better. You may not think God is watching out for you, but He is. We’re all going to get through our current struggles just to face new ones. Life is basically a never ending cycle of frustration, that’s why we all need to learn to see the good in everything.

Lastly, I just want to say thank you, to all my family and friends that have been there for me since day one. I wouldn’t be able to get through my day without my crazy support system. You guys rock.