Starting college is by far the best and scariest experience of our young adult lives. You’re thrilled to have independence while at the same time you’re scared to be going away from your routine. You get to college and meet new people who become fast friends, whether it’s roommates or people you meet through campus organizations.

Eventually, you start to cling to each other, staring at each other’s apartments, going to all the parties, and basically building a social life. You’re making most of your classes while having fun and feeling pretty confident about college, or at least believing you’re doing well enough to pass. Finally after a stressful exam week realizing you should have made all of your classes it’s time for winter break. The grade posting day has come and you press the refresher until you see your final grade. It’s not good.

On the bright side, you got your credits but your GPA is suffering. You should have worked harder, should have studied more and said no to going out. Guess what, it’s not the end of the world. I can’t promise your parents will be okay with it but you will be because you’re strong enough to recover. The wisest words I’ve heard is when you start college you’re set up for failure and it’s true.

Those professors you have could care less if they see you next semester because at the end of the day they’re getting paid. College isn’t about failing and quitting it’s about how you handle it. Most people start to go downhill and don’t bother to fix things, they drop out or move to a community college to make things easier.

The first step to fixing this problem is realizing your mistakes.

That is gonna save you from a whole lot of grief. If you went out every night of the week maybe you’re having too much fun and should dial it back. There’s nothing wrong with going out, everyone needs a break but limit yourself. Those friends that dragged you out until three in the morning maybe you should consider the possibility that you need new friends or maybe at least distance yourself. Find the right time to study for your classes, if it’s a three credit class you need to study for that class four hours at least that week.

In order to come back from this drop you have to set goals even if it’s unrealistic goals cause at least you will have something you’re reaching for. Even if you can’t make it you’ll get close trust me. Goals are what defines us as people so make some and make yourself stick to them.