Well, it's that point in the semester. My brain is so dead that I couldn't help but complain a bit on a pubic forum. Even as I write this, I am sitting in a coffee shop listening to a tired kid in pajamas order coffee before an exam. I give him a nod in solidarity to indicate that as a fellow college student, I feel his pain. However, from the long nights studying to the early morning paper edits, I can't help but be proud that I have made it this far. I can complain all I want about how this semester is never going to be over, just to later laugh at myself in the future when I realize that it finally is. So here it is: a letter of mixed emotions written from the semester I want to be over.
You can do it!
You've gotten through tough semesters before, so you can do it again. Whether it was a deadly case of "senioritis," a horrid biology class, or a semester of all gen-eds, you have probably had worse semesters. Hang in there because if I've learned anything about college, I know that all semesters eventually end.
Save your stressing for finals week.
You think that you're stressed out now? Well, just you wait. This thought may not make you feel better in the long run, but you have to keep this in mind. You have larger mountains to climb. Don't put off all of your work until last minute; you will surely thank yourself later. You can't avoid responsibility forever, and you have to remember to adequately pace yourself. If you want any sleep at all during finals week, try to continue getting stuff done now.
Stressing out about next semester will not make it come any faster.
Advice: finish one chapter of your story before you start the next. With sorting out classes, living situations, and any other obligations for next year, it's easy to stress out about a semester that isn't even here yet. You have no idea what the future holds, so at least finish out this school year before seriously worrying about the next. Although you can't avoid making any plans at all for next semester, do not feel overwhelmed by the things you cannot control yet.
Enjoy your time.
As cliche as it sounds, this is all going to be over before you know it. Embrace it all while it lasts. If you spend your entire time in college waiting for the next semester, it's all going to be over before you know it. Suck it up; finish your assignments and pass those classes - I promise you that you will survive. Accept victory when it's all over, but also make sure that you take the time to enjoy the ride. In the midst of all this stress, there are still coffee dates to be had, midnight chats to be remembered, and memories to be created. Don't ever wish your time away.
