We’ve all been there. The moments where you’re cramming for the third test this week, desperately trying to shove any and all information into your memory bank for a better shot at an A.

The moments where you’re four hours deep in one day’s worth of homework. The moments where you’re repeating that concept your incomprehensible biology teacher/professor taught earlier in class, begging your brain to just understand what the hell is going on.

The moments where one minute it’s 5:00 p.m. after your extracurricular, and then next, it’s 5:00 a.m., and you’re not even close to being finished with that project. The moments where you’re so frustrated, so drained from thinking for hours, that you just stare at a wall instead and default to doing absolutely nothing, just to save yourself some sanity.

And for some, the moments where you’re so mad you’re forced to overcommit to so much in an effort to obtain your future that you just start crying.

You want that college acceptance letter. You want to see you got into medical school. You want to get straight As and graduate at the top of your class.

However, you also want to be able to unwind and watch your favorite TV show without always subconsciously stressing out about what assignments are due. It’s sad that even in the event that you aren’t slammed with work, you’re convinced you’re missing something anyway because you aren’t used to the feeling of being free. It feels like you have to pick –– social life or school grades.

Either way, one seems to suffer and someone is let down. Then there are also all of the what ifs. What if I miss out on that birthday party? What if my friends hang out without me and leave me behind? What if I let my parents down? What if I don’t get into my dream school? What if I don’t have enough extracurricular activities to be a competitive applicant?

What if I fail?

But the question really is: what if you don’t?

Hear this out. What if you just took a deep breath here and organized your thoughts? It doesn’t have to feel so chaotic all of the time. Despite what you may be thinking, you are going to make it. You’ve got the grit, determination, and heart that it takes because you’ve made it this far.

I know you have the go-getter attitude necessary to make it happen because even when you’re moaning and groaning and maybe even crying while you’re studying for that big exam, you don’t stop what you’re doing.

You keep driving until you’ve got it down. It’s incredible, and I applaud you for it. I appreciate your efforts, even if you think others don’t, and I know that you’ll be rewarded for your strength down the road. Absolutely nothing is impossible as long as you work for it, which is exactly what you’re doing.

However, please keep your mental health in check. You shouldn’t be grinding every second of every day. That would take a toll on anyone’s mind. Space things out. Get that project done ahead of time when you know you have a day that’s not as congested. Use your weekdays to get everything done that you need to, then relax on the weekends.

Throw in an hour or two of studying if you feel like you have to do something. Study the material as you go, not the day before the test. Keep a journal of things you need to get done in a day and demolish the list.

As for your mental health, hang out with your friends. That doesn’t mean you have to go every time, but your friends can help you in a way you don’t even think about. Find a hobby that destresses you, and use it when you feel yourself getting tense. Make sure you leave time for YOU.

In the end, not everything is as big of a deal as it seems. It may seem important to get an A on every test, but truly one B or C will not kill your future as a whole. One bad grade on your transcript isn’t going to keep you from getting into college or medical school.

Keep the trend going up. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Work hard but make sure you’re having fun, too. Life is too short to live it completely tense one hundred percent of the time. Odds are, you aren’t going to fail unless you let yourself. Keep plugging away at your goals and aspirations. Let nothing stop you.

Keep the faith.

Get that A.

Go to medical school.

I believe in you. You should, too.