We all have that awkward moment when we wake up and realize Welcome Week really is over, as well as homecoming, and half of the semester. When I said we wake up, that was not to be confused with the standard eight hours on a comfortable bed; it was actually eight minutes on a stack of books in the library.
Currently, college kids around the world are reaching the halfway point of the semester, and the stress level could not be higher. Below is a short list of several things I feel we can all relate to right about now.
1. Sleep is no longer a thing.
According to every doctor you come across, the suggested sleep time for young adults is anywhere from seven to nine hours a night. Did you laugh a little reading that? I hope they don’t conduct research by surveying college kids during midterms, because the results may be slightly skewed. If you're lucky enough to be in bed at a reasonable hour, it's likely you're not able to fall asleep due to the fear of forgetting to submit an assignment going through your head.
2. Your bank account is a touchy subject.
By now your funds have been draining daily. Sometimes you ask yourself if it's a bad thing your local pizzeria knows your credit card information before you read it out over the phone. You feel like your tab is permanently open at the local bars. You find yourself having to Google what a budget is, and how they work. Don’t worry though, Christmas will be here before you know it! It's never too late to reach out to your grandparents and explain to them why you're such a great investment.
3. Exams on exams.
You're seriously questioning whether or not your professors got together and thought about how they could really make your life more difficult. As soon as you finish one exam, you have to start studying for another, and before long you'll be taking an exam in the same class you started with. "Dante's Inferno" sounds more fun than this never-ending cycle of exams.
4. Your social life.
Your social life consists of checking Snapchat Stories and scrolling through Instagram and Facebook posts. Any extra time or energy you have left at the end of the day is almost inevitably used deciding what you want to watch on Netflix. Saturday nights at the bar listening to your intoxicated classmates slur on about how they're going to be CEOs in the next six months (LOL) just doesn’t sound appealing at this point in the year. If you go to a small school, you might actually text your adviser more than your friends.
5. The end is near.
If you're lucky enough to make it past the halfway point of the semester, you will realize the end is near. There is, in fact, a light at the end of that tunnel, and no, it’s not a blacklight, you crazy ravers. By now you're accustomed to living on a budget, measuring sleep in minutes, not hours, not having a social life, and even the exams. You're starting to gain some confidence. Unfortunately, that confidence will soon fade. Finals week is the ultimate buzzkill. Be on the lookout for my finals week post. Until then, try to relax and enjoy the ride. Why? Because that's what all of the old people tell us to do!
