Today, as I was sitting in Starbucks sipping my second cup of iced coffee and researching the fall of communism in Poland, I became very aware of my stress level.

With the end of the semester looming in the distance, projects and papers have begun piling up. Deadlines are fast approaching. Grades are being finalized. And we are becoming aware of the reality that, once again, we may not make that coveted 4.0 GPA.

Time has slipped away and we're starting to lose focus. Our minds are wandering to thoughts of how much of our grandmother's stuffing we're going to eat on Thursday and what we'll buy on Black Friday.

But, on this November day, between the stress and distractions, I find myself feeling a little less than stressed. My best friend had just texted with the sole purpose of reminding me to have a good week. When I checked my Facebook page, minutes later, I noticed an update from my mother informing her friends of how much she is looking forward to having her children home for the holidays.

And that's when it hit me. Yes, the end of the semester is stressful. Our nerves are frayed. Papers are hard to write. We don't want to study for a week of back-to-back exams. We're all tired of the seemingly endless daily routine in which we find ourselves. We're ready for a separation from the crazy, loud girl who lives down the hall, or the slightly annoying sorority sister who likes to play her guitar in the house until 1 a.m.

But if we stop for a second, take a deep breath and look around, we'll see that we have so much to be thankful for.

Whether you're sitting in a coffee shop across from your best friend, studying in the library surrounded by a hundred gifted students, or lying on the floor of your apartment with your quirky roommates watching trashy television, remember you are blessed.

Because not everyone gets to have the amazing experiences you have here. Not everyone is extended the opportunity to be taught by distinguished professors. Not everyone has caring, lovable friends who check in on them daily. Not everyone has supportive parents who helped get them to this beautiful place.

Honestly, we're too blessed to be stressed.

And, for what it's worth, the holidays -- and a glorious winter break -- are not far from our reach.

So when we're sitting in the library these next few weeks, inevitability crying over our lack of knowledge on the state of the economy in Hungary for that political science final, we need to remember this: it's easy to get caught up in the stress, but it's even easier to count our blessings.

So, in honor of Thanksgiving, put aside the stress for a moment -- I promise, it'll be there when we get back -- and give thanks for the blessings.