After my phenomenal first year at UW-Madison, I thought I could do no wrong. Sure adjusting was hard, and I knew college wasn't a walk in the park and yet I couldn't help but think, at the rate I was going, I would avoid the "Sophomore Slump."

The "Sophomore Slump" is very much real and absolutely merciless to put it lightly. This past year tested everything about who I thought I was. I took on a heavier workload than my first year, including a job (that I absolutely LOVE) and I was sure I was going to be fine.

When things started getting tougher in the spring semester, midterms and projects and taking extra shifts that I probably shouldn't have, I let myself get sucked into the "wow this is too hard" mentality. What I didn't expect was to find the strength I needed in a self-help book.

Strolling down State Street on a dreary day, I popped into Urban Outfitters to kill some time. I had been researching these types of books for a little while now because I was at the point where I would try anything to break out of my funk. And there, on the sale shelf, is one singular copy of "You are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life" by Jen Sincero.

To kill more time, I read the first chapter while wandering around the store and I thought " it's on sale, might as well buy it." I get all the way to the front counter to actually purchase this book and I find that 1. it is a full priced book and 2. that there are dozens of more copies in the actual book section at the front of the store.

Great.

I'm too far into this book and the process of buying it to turn back, so I continue on to Starbucks to spend another $4 on a coffee I won't finish, and I find something strange about this book: it actually works. I would read it every chance I got (sometimes shirking actual responsibilities like school work or whatever) and each chapter I buzzed through I would actually retain some of the practices Sincero would preach.

I was expecting this to be a Jim Carrey in Yes Man kind of deal, where the author or speaker would suggest some radical change to my life that I would have to follow without fail for it to work.

I was so wrong.

This book was phenomenal in merging the author's personal anecdotes with the point she was trying to get you, the reader, to understand in each chapter. When I started believing in this book and what this woman was trying to tell me, I started reaping the benefits. I got a 93 on a final for goodness sake! This stuff really works!

So, if you're in need of a pick-me-up, a good read or you're just really bored right now on summer vacation, head down to Urban Outfitters and pick up this full-priced book.