You've gotten past the hump of the Fall semester, it could be your first, your last, or somewhere in between, and you're wondering, "Why am I feeling this way if nothing's happening right now?" Then it hits you that your life is gonna start up again.

Maybe you weren't that involved around campus, or you've felt kind of alone and relatively lost around campus, and you're wondering "Where the hell am I?"So you start to feel the stress take over you and you start to cry or reflect on all the past decisions you've made in your life and how this could all be avoidable, but it was inevitable that you'll still need to start Spring semester in about two weeks or so.

We then start to think of a time where life might've been easier to navigate. We've all been there, just wishing and waiting to go back to a time when our lives weren't so unpredictable and those straight A's were almost too easy to obtain.

In high school, the vision of freedom was so exciting and we were all just waiting to put ourselves out there where we could set our own rules and not have to live under our parents' roofs, but working is tough and taking a break here and there seems more necessary than before. All these thoughts have got you feelin' kinda stressed.

But honestly, college is such a great time to really find yourself (I know, you've heard that one before, but it's so true) and who you want to work to become in about 10 years. I know I stressing out is so often in college, but I'm so happy I'm here. I think these tips could be really helpful to y'all.

1. If you know absolutely no one from your hometown who you could possibly strengthen your friendship with, make new friends!

This will really help you out so much, I can't tell you how many study sessions I was able to have because of them. Join an org that you really love, because it really shouldn't be that hard to do so with all the tabling at UT, tbh. Also having a community really helps out in feeling connected not only to others at the university but also to yourself and how these people can help you better yourself!

2. Take a walk, man.

This one is so easy to do, especially because UT is so huge, but, you know, try to avoid the construction (if you can). Walking is said to both reduce stress-inducing hormones and activate other calming neurons in your brain. Plug yourself into your phone and play your favorite playlist, because that'll put you at ease even more. Also, you know, looking at squirrels run around everywhere is cute-ish...

3. Get connected to the Word.

No, I'm not trying to force any religious ideals onto any of you, I've just seen my days go up from putting my faith in Christ. It's so refreshing and reassuring to know that He loves me despite all of the sins I've committed in my lifetime and that I'm able to trust in Him because He has plans that are meant for success and not for failure.

4. Take that nap.

I'm a firm believer in that naps really do solve everything. Yeah, you might wake up confused about where you are or you might mess up your sleeping schedule, but 98% of the time I've taken a nap after feeling gross, I've woken up feeling better! I've found it especially helpful in times of anxiety because sometimes it's hard to function for an entire day.

5. Know that you're so loved by so many people.

Sometimes, homesickness is inevitable, especially for people who live more than 3 hours away from their home and their families (and also their food, wow I've really missed Mexican food), but just know that your family and friends are rooting for you to succeed! It's so awesome that you're able to take this next step in your life to better yourself!

I've been there, lemme tell y'all. Being an only child who lives6 hours away from home was really hard and I honestly hated college up until my second semester, but it really does get better! I made new friends through some of the organizations I've been involved in and that's allowed me to make deeper connections. Even though I may not know all of you, I'm so proud of you and you can do it I believe in you. Good luck everyone!