Let me guess. You have 100 pages of reading, a group project, and four assignments due, along with two organization meetings to attend all in the next few days. You’re stressed and wondering not only how you’re going to get it done, but how you’re going to get it done well. I know the feeling; I have been there many times before and I will most likely be there again in the future (probably as early as next week). And as I notice these behaviors in myself and others, I see the deterioration- on the mind, body, and soul- that it causes.

This is not a way to spend four precious years of your life. College is meant to open your mind, expand your worldview and give you tools to take on the real world (whatever that is). Don’t get too caught up in your hectic schedule and overinvolvement that you forget to enjoy your life. Don’t overcommit yourself, take just as many classes as you can handle and only take on as many organizations that allow for a comfortable amount of participation and happiness.

I’m here to say that you don’t need to do it all. You don’t need to spread yourself thin because it’s true when they say that you can’t pour from an empty cup. You need to fill yourself first, and please remember to take care of yourself. You are a tender, fragile being that can break and crack, so pay attention to your mind and body’s communication with you. It knows a lot more than you would expect.

And, more importantly, we seem to have forgotten why we’re all here. We’re here to love. To love the hell out of people and to be there to nurture, support, and lift up our loved ones. Will your GPA matter in five years? Maybe. I’m not going to say it won’t. But as long as you try your very hardest, you shouldn’t beat yourself up about getting a B here and there. Don’t get so caught up in preparing yourself for your next step that you forget where you are now is a pretty important step in itself. You should be making bonds that will last a lifetime. Don’t close yourself off to those possibilities for the sake of some intangible, future success or goal. Because in the end, your resume is just a piece of paper and you will have plenty of time to hone it, improve it, and get to where you want to be. But the people in your life are real. They are right here, right now, and right in front of you. They have a beating heart inside of their chest that is keeping them alive. They have some mysterious combination of chemicals, nerves, hormones, etc. that all work together to create a feeling of likeness toward you. How amazing is that?

Don’t pass up the people in your life for much. Love your loved ones. Hard and fiercely with reckless abandon. They need it, whether you know it or not. We’re all in need of it.

And don’t pass up getting to connect with and love new people, too. Build your tribe of those you can count on and those who can count on you. Places, material things, amazing opportunities...all this does not matter one bit if you do not have people to share it with.

So open up your heart and let love be your guiding force for everything you do. Breathe it in, exhale it out. And do not ever cease to remember that every single thing in this life can be dealt with when you have someone you love by your side.