Its 2 a.m. on a Monday and you have an exam tomorrow in one of your hardest classes. You HAVE to do well on this exam unless you aren’t going to pass the class, or be able to declare your major on time, get employed, and probably will never be happy again.
Well, that probably isn’t true but at 2 a.m. it's hard to have rational thoughts. You’ve gone over every problem set, memorized all the verb tenses, made a billion flashcards, or whatever else to prepare for this exam but unfortunately it doesn’t feel like you’re anywhere near ready.
You’re sitting on the fourth floor of the Ugli staring at the dirty cream brick wall in front of you wondering, “Did I make the right decision going here?” or possibly “Am I even smart enough to be here?” Your mind starts to spiral out of control and you begin questioning everything. Your mind races from past decisions to future expectations and the stress is eating away at you.
It’s normal.
We’ve all been here before, whether we want to admit it or not. The University of Michigan is one of the top ranked public universities in the world. Your class load is meant to be rigorous, it's meant to stretch your intellect in ways it's never been stretched before, and it is suppose to tear you down so that you can build yourself back up.
There is a reason that University of Michigan students are referred to as the leaders and the best. There is reason that you are sitting in that hard wooden chair surrounded by highlighters, coffee, and textbooks. There is a reason you chose this university and there is a reason to be happy about it.
Far too often we get consumed by schoolwork and stress that we forget all the wonderful reasons we have to be happy. Look around. You are surrounded by likeminded individuals who value an education as much as you. You are embarking on a journey that is guaranteed to change your life. You are making friends and connections that you will have for the rest of time. And quite frankly, you’re killin it.
Take a moment to think of all of the positive things you have in your life. This can be family, friends, significant others, pets, or whatever makes you happy. Now think about how much you mean to them. Think about what a difference you have made in these people (or doggies) lives. You are making moves and everyone you’ve met in your life thus far, has been impacted by you.
You are making an impact right now. Every decision you make changes things. Every night that you stay up till 2 a.m. studying for an exam pays off. Every extra review session you attend puts you one step closer of achieving your goals. Every connection you make fills your friendship reservoir that much deeper.
At times it can be difficult to think of the positive things you have going for you or the impacts that you have on those around you when its 2 a.m. and all you want to do is drop out of school and become a Kardashian.
But, breathe.
I can’t guarantee that you will ace this test tomorrow but I can guarantee that life goes on and that you will be okay. Don’t get down on yourself. You’ve done all you could do and that’s really all you can ask of yourself.
When I was a kid my dad would always tell me to do my best. I remember telling him countless times I didn’t get the grade I wanted on a test in high school. I came home and was upset for hours but all my dad said to me was, “Did you go your best?” to which I told him I did and he said, “Well, that's all I can ask you to do.”
At the time I was annoyed at the thought that my dad would say this to me. I would shoot back things like “well my best isn’t good enough” or just storm off in another direction. Reflecting on this now, just like so many times as we grow up, I realize that my dad was right. All anyone can ask of you is for you to do your best. If you give it all you’ve got then that’s it.
You are smart enough. You are good enough. You will be okay.
I promise.
