We're at that point in the semester where nothing makes sense. You're overwhelmed with homework. Work or any extracurricular activity makes you, even more, overwhelmed like you're the juggling act in a circus, but you don't know how to juggle. Every hour you're doing something else besides school, you're thinking about school. Midterms are daunting and slowly creeping up on us. You're probably even thinking about finals week or that paper that's 30 percent of your grade, and, honestly, it makes you want to cry.

We've all been there. It's the point in the semester where you feel like you're about to drown but you're still able to keep your head above the water. I go to school full time while balancing two part-time jobs and any sorority obligations. Life has been hectic in the first few weeks of the semester while bouncing from job to job, meeting to meeting, library to my comfy bed to spare a few hours of sleep. What is impossible for me is to stop. What is possible is to slow down. Even for me, slowing down is a huge challenge. Probably an even bigger challenge than that paper worth 30% of my grade!

The reason the first part of the semester is so challenging is that you're getting into the grove of your new routine and the pressure is on for the rest of the semester. If you start off well, hopefully, you'll also end the semester well. But, the important part of the beginning of the semester, is to not let the chaos get into your head. It's can be easy to be consumed by essays, PowerPoints, and exams in the first few weeks. Yes, these weeks are vital, but it's all about finding the best routine in order to stay strong throughout the semester.

These first few weeks are not the end of the world. They're rough, but you'll get through them. You do always do, just as I always survive, and everyone else survives. Keep moving forward. Find your routine, find your balance.

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." — Albert Einstein