The end of the semester is probably the hardest part to get through. Most of us just had a week long Thanksgiving break, and now we are back for three weeks before the semester is over for the holidays. The will to go on is hard, Christmas movies are playing on TV, the weather is finally starting to really cool down, the stores are having fabulous holiday sales and let's admit, with the new "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" movie recently hitting theaters with a bang and allowing us to re-enter the wizarding world, all you really want to do is sit down with a cup of hot chocolate in front of a warm fire binge watching the Harry Potter series. If you can relate, just know that the semester is almost over, you're almost through.

So when the school work and studying builds up and it feels like there isn't enough time in the day, just remember, you can do this because:

"Working hard is important, but there is something that matters more: believing in yourself." - Harry Potter

"We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy." - Albus Dumbledore

These last few assignments and exams do not define you, they also do not fully define the amount of knowledge and information you have obtained this semester. The workload may be overwhelming but,

"Anything is possible if you've got enough nerve." - Ginny Weasley

"We must try not to sink beneath our anguish Harry, but battle on." - Albus Dumbledore

If I've learned anything from the Harry Potter series, it's that J.K. Rowling is wise beyond her years. Her imagination is riveting and she would not have become the successful woman, mother and author she is today without an education. Her teachers and professors believed in her, but most importantly she believed in herself, just as you should, too. These last couple weeks are tough, but it will be okay in the end.

"We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already, we have the power to imagine better." - J.K. Rowling

I know that you probably want to just sit at home or in your dorm room and binge watch the whole series with your roommate and friends, but if you make the right choices by studying, passing the exams and handing in the final assignments on time just think of how much more rewarding it will be, after the fact, to watch the movies stress and be guilt free!

"It is our choices that show us what we truly are far more than our abilities." - Albus Dumbledore



"Every great wizard in history has started out as nothing more than what we are now, students. If they can do it, why not us?" - Harry Potter

It's possible, the end is near. All those who are in the careers we want in the future started out where we are today. It's actually pretty crazy to think about, in my opinion. And Harry and his friends were able to start an army to help defeat the Dark Lord. So just keep pushing forward, because if you want it bad enough it will happen for you, too.

While we aren't always fully able to decide our fate, whatever happens in the future is there to help to make you into a better person. These last few weeks are going to come with a vengeance, but before you know it they will be over and you will probably have forgotten about what made you so stressed out to begin with.

So if Harry is able to defeat Lord Voldemort, then you can finish out this semester on a strong note too.