Christmas break has finally begun and I officially have one semester of college behind me, which means I have survived my very first round of final exams. It was not easy. There were many late nights at the library -- which is something I am not accustomed to at all -- and more coffee was consumed between those study sessions than in the past month combined. Now that exams are over, and your sleep schedule is back to normal, you’ll be given the gift of a single letter that determines if you have sufficient understanding of a class’s material to be given credit for spending an entire semester taking it.

Looking up those final grades makes your heart pound with anxiety and your stomach drop if you don’t do as well as you thought you were going to, but this should not ruin your well-deserved break. You may find that the dread of having to figure out what’s next sneaks up on you when you least expect it, and that’s normal. But remember, this is one letter. It doesn’t take into account the huge adjustments you’ve had to make, the relationships you’ve struggled to create, or the close friends you’ve had to live without. YOU are so much more than just one letter.

So, enjoy yourself! Meet up with your old friends! Go visit your family! Have a marathon of Christmas movies while binge-ing some hot cocoa and holiday cookies and cuddling with your pet! It doesn’t matter how you do it: just relax. I, for one, am thrilled to rest up and be able to dedicate myself to being as amazing as I can be next semester.