Life is undoubtedly dynamic and unstable. There is not one day that goes by where I don’t have a few pros and a few cons, supporting the famous saying, “Life isn’t perfect, nothing is.” This is true, and sometimes (lately) it seems as though the cons outweigh the pros, supporting the other famous saying, “That’s life!”

Yes, I’ve learned to accept it, but how does it become justified? More than often I catch myself saying, “of course this would happen to me!” How do so many unfortunate circumstances seem to fall onto my shoulders, when I already have so much on my plate? It’s hard to constantly be dragged down by the negative aspects of my life and have to get right back up and keep going, because, in reality, I don’t really have it all that bad.

When I look back on the irritating situations that make me break down in tears and that make me so frustrated on a daily basis, I find it amusing. The other day I literally started crying because I couldn’t find my favorite pen. Honestly, that was probably way too melodramatic, and it makes me realize that I could easily prevent these meager calamities. I know I have it easy, but not because my life isn’t that difficult to manage. I have a lot on my plate, and losing my favorite pen seriously just frustrates me more than anything because “of course it would happen to me.”

Stress is something that tends to overcome my emotions and causes me to become too overwhelmed to handle. The next time you're just down right hating your life/are entirely overwhelmed, remember that you have support. You have people who are rooting for you and want to see you succeed, even though the only thing you are focusing on are the obstacles in life that want you to fail. I know that I do have it easy because I do have a wonderful support system that gets me through life every single moment of my life. I have a wonderful group of friends and a wonderful family that makes my life so much more bearable. It's not a hard fact to face, it just tends to get outweighed by the cons at times.

1. My family.

I couldn’t imagine a life without my family. My family is my number one support system that I tend to take advantage of and overlook at times. I think this is prevalent for college students, like myself, to do because we are hundreds of miles away from our families who made it possible for us to be here in the first place. Never take advantage of this loyalty, because it’ll be present when others won’t. It may be the most durable part of your safety net and take the most blows, but it is the foundation, and when it crumbles nothing else will matter.

2. Myself.

You are the only consistent support system you will ever have. You will never be satisfied if you can’t tell yourself that you’ll get through each day, and get back up when you get knocked down. The others will guide you get to this point, yes, but only you can make it a reality. Never hate yourself because it’ll haunt you, never be unhappy with yourself, encourage yourself to be better, and become who you imagine yourself being at your best.

3. My best friends.

I have the best friends. Not bragging, I'm only thanking them. I got extremely lucky with the people who I’ve chosen to surround myself with, and who have chosen to surround me. I could not imagine a life without the people who I have formed the strongest relationships with. From the ones who would take my i-clickers to class when I was too hung-over to go to class, to the ones who'd probably bail me out of jail if needed. These are the people that guide my determination to strive in life and be the same to them as they are to me. Valuable friendships are undeniably the most mutually supportive relationships you could have, and once you find your “people,” don’t let them go.

4. My sorority sisters.

Obviously. They push me to have a good time when I’m in a rut. Push me to go to the gym when I’m feeling lazy. Make me stay in when I have homework up to my ears. Let me eat whatever I want, whenever. Buys me hot Cheetos for no good reason. Comforts me when a boy breaks my heart. There is an everlasting bond between sorority sisters. It sounds cliché, but it is true! These girls will be the reason I get through my undergraduate years and continue to succeed in my future.

5. My future.

If one can’t relate to some of these support systems, everyone should be able to relate to their future. Nothing is more motivating than what is yet to come. Imagining your best future self helps you focus, and things begin to become clearer. I believe you should constantly be striving to be your best self, an unceasing goal. The pros and cons of each and every day are only reminders that you have one objective to focus on. One objective that motivates you. One objective that is entirely unknown, and entirely up to you. How do you envision your future?

6. My past.

“The past is the past.”

“Never look back.”

“Leave the past behind.”

No. Learn from it. Make it a reason to be better. Remember it. The past isn’t all bad! The past had shaped you and supported you, and it continues to do so. Let the past be the past, it’s the bridge to your future.

Until life becomes perfect, a secure support system is an exigency.

Go thank your support system.