For us Augie students, week 10 is the last week of the term before finals. There are papers due, speeches to be made, and tests to be taken. Starting off week 10 is like diving into the middle of the ocean off of a sinking ship -- you know there are hard times ahead, but all you can do is try to just keep swimming.

There is only a week plus finals until fall break. We’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and the countdown is constantly on our minds. Fall break -- old friends, countless naps, and time with family -- is on its way and it definitely could not come any faster.

The newness and excitingness of college is starting to wear off for us freshmen and the homesickness is setting in. We haven’t been home more than once or twice in the past two months, and we haven’t seen your parents since family weekend in September. We’re starting to really long for cuddles with your dog and our momma’s hugs.

The amount of work ahead of us this week is overwhelming. We make a list of all the papers to write and edit and the articles to read and the endless chapters to study for finals and we can’t even stand to look at it. It’s overwhelming and we’re trying to find our way of coping -- whether it be Netflix for distraction or coffee for energy or Christian music for encouragement.

Week ten feels like it will get the best of us, but it won’t. We’ll get through. Soon we can be all cozy with our pets and our family on the couch watching Netflix without regrets of procrastination. We’re so close. For the freshmen, we’ve almost finished the first term of our college career. And for the rest of the school -- just one less term until graduation.

Keep your eyes on the prize; kick Week 10’s butt!