With the beginning of the new semester and the rise of stress and worry increases from assignments and pop quizzes, it's important to keep in mind that God is there to keep you calm and at peace. Instead of having the constant mental breakdowns of getting stuff down or even from staying up all night studying, ask God to calm your raging seas of anxiety into a soft horizon of peace.

In Ecclesiastes, we're told that everything we do here on this earth is ultimately meaningless; our pain and toil will disappear along with us and the anxiety and stress will forever be replaced with peace and joy. We're told that while we're young, it's important to live but not for anything of this world such as work, but for God and with happiness filled hearts. So, why waste our youth in stress when our God can give us years of happiness through the anxiety filled days.

"So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless." - Ecclesiastes 11:10

Through God, our life gains more meaning. Through God, our trials of pursuing good grades don't seem so bad. Through God, we seem to be floating in a calming river. Through God, our hearts are too occupied with gladness to reflect on what we're screaming with anxietyabout.

Our youth is supposed to be full of fun and laughter. We are to enjoy the lives that we are given. During these years, we're called to remember our Creator so when the tides of trial rise for our earthly desires we can say "I found no pleasure in them"—only in the time we spend with God, our Savior in peace. For us students whose minds never rest from our academics: "What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless." - Ecclesiastes 2:22-23

Take some time during this semester to spend time with God and find the happiness and peace to ease your mind. Keep the trails of college at a distance and focus on the more important and meaningful aspects that will keep a smile on our faces and love and laughter in our hearts. There are "times to weep, times to laugh, time to mourn, and times to dance"; replace the mental breakdowns with laughter, and replace the mourning of a grade you didn't want after spending hours studying, to putting on your favorite music and dancing the stress away in your dorm room.

"So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun."- Ecclesiastes 8:15