If you’re a college student, I bet that you are reading this as procrastination from writing papers or studying for your three exams next week. Well, you took a “study break” at the right place because I am here to give you a little motivation.

I know that you’re on the verge of giving up. I know that you’re about ready to quit your job, flunk your last midterm, and turn in a half-finished final essay. I know because I am almost there too. I think that we all are. It’s that point in the semester where the weather is getting nicer, the homework is getting heavier, the classes are getting harder to go to, and the motivation is long behind you.

However, you shouldn’t give up. You are so close to the finish line and you can’t stop now! Think about all of the hours that you put into studying for your first test in your really tough class only to come out with a great score. Now, you sit thinking about how “C’s get degrees” and you figure that you just won’t study for your last exam in that class. As you’re telling yourself that, think about how much of a waste the rest of your semester's hard work has been if you give up now.

I know that it’s hard to sit inside and study when it starts to get nice out, but grab some fro-yo and sit out on the pentacrest while you do your work — that’ll make it a bit easier, I promise.

I also know that it’s harder to go to class now after spring break when you had a whole week off to do nothing, but you should start getting back into the routine of things. Go back to doing your daily workouts or take a few extra shifts at work. This will get you back into the swing of things and hold you accountable, making it easier to go to class. If you have a few free skip days left in your classes, plan a mental health day during one of your busier weeks and that will give you something to look forward to!

At this point in the semester, it feels like all of these final assignments are being thrown at you all at once and that’s pretty much true. You have your final projects, final papers, last unit lab reports and quizzes, last midterm/tests to study for, and preparation for finals. It can be and is overwhelming. First off, teachers understand that. If you really feel that you cannot do it all, work with your teacher to push back a due date or help in some way. Second, you are capable! You got into college for a reason. You are still here and surviving after at least one semester, so that is living proof that you can do this.

So, take a Netflix break, go on a walk, email your professors, have a good cry, do whatever you need to do in order to get through these hefty final weeks of the semester because you’re so close. When you’re done, you will have three months of doing nothing except for a job and possibly summer classes, but who’s thinking about that now?

Good luck and have a fantastic rest of your semester!