It may be summer right now, but college students everywhere share an understanding of certain things even when separated by distance during vacation. There is a certain wisdom that can be gleaned from reading even if something isn’t assigned by your professor, and sometimes you even learn something!

J.R.R. Tolkien, the oft-called Father of Modern Fantasy, has much to say. Looking at it, I was astounded at how much of it applies to us. It’s completely relatable! So check it out for yourself!

1. "It's the job that's never started as takes longest to finish."

Said by Sam Gamgee, best friend of Frodo Baggins and a hero in the Lord of the Rings, this quote is actually a saying that his “old gaffer” used to tell him (Sam’s father). Word of wisdom indeed!

2. "Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens."

We’ve all had those group project members who ditch us last minute. If you haven’t, you are that person. Don’t be that person. No one likes that person. Stick with your friends and group members through the hard times!

3. "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

Certainly the most famous of the lines I’m using, this one is Gandalf to Frodo in Moria. Take it to heart! We only have so much time, and we can only do so much. Don’t stress too much, but keep in mind that you do have things that need to be done, so do them!

4. "It's a dangerous business going out your front door."

Perhaps most relevant during the school year, we all know that moment when you walk out of your room without your ID, or without a book. It’s dangerous leaving your room. But the rewards are endless!

5. "Little by little, one travels far."

Pretty self-explanatory. Take each day one step at a time and by the end, you’ll be long gone. College is all about small steps leading to greatness. So take those small steps! Go out your door!

6. "It may be the part of a friend to rebuke a friend's folly."

It’s the job of a friend to remind each other when something is wrong or stupid. Don’t let your friends get up to no good, even while far away during the summer. Remember that a friend needs to be able to speak truth to the other.

7. "I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

I’ll just leave you to chew on that one.

8. "Courage is found in unlikely places."

When first day of school comes around, or finals at the end, we all reach down into our deepest places for the courage to keep going. Remember that courage no matter where you are. You will need it.

9. "Short cuts make long delays."

A personal favorite of mine. Don’t take short cuts. They rarely work.

10. "Do not meddle in the affairs of Wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger."

Replace “wizards” with professors and you get a humorous explanation of bothering these teachers during the summer. Just don’t (unless you have to). They’re on vacation too!

11. "A box without hinges, key, or lid, yet golden treasure inside is hid."

This summarizes college to me. While the original meaning of this riddle is an “egg”, I think college works too. It’s a box of untapped possibility that you need to open somehow. There’s no key to get you in, no lid to be lifted. You just have to crack it open.

Bonus: "Auta í lomë, aurë entuluva. Utúlie’n aurë!"

Finally I leave you with this. This is an elvish battle cry used in the pages of The Silmarillion. It means “Night is passing, day shall come again! The day has come!” Remember it when you feel like things are crashing down. Because the night is passing.