As human beings, we often forget how to take a deep breath and relax. Now as a college student, sister, daughter, friend, lover(at least in my case) I feel like I can't count to 10 without a million things for me to do! So I just skip the counting and go straight to working instead which isn't always the best thing to do...

We try to keep it all together not wanting to break or fail but what do we do instead?

We end up hurting ourselves more. As the oldest child, as the first in my family to attend a university there's a lot of pressure that falls upon me. I feel like every move and step I make is crucial to me and to the people around me as well. I want to make everyone proud and try so hard to do everything right and often forget that its life. Life is about making mistakes, falling, dusting yourself off and getting up stronger than before. It's okay to not have everything planned out and all together all the time.

If you need to cry, let it all out.

I mean this. There's no better feeling than letting it all out sometimes, even if that means crying. If you're like me, and you get frustrated, instead of throwing plates across a room or setting something on fire(like in the movies because safety first) a tear or two here and there wouldn't hurt. According to a few articles crying is a good way to release emotional stress! As Justin Timberlake's song says "Cry me a river!"

Understand that life is very unexpected.

Sometimes no matter how much you have something planned or how bad you want things to go the way you want them to, life can throw you curve balls and delay things from happening. Maybe you had this super important competition that you trained so hard for and you got stuck in traffic for 3 hours and missed it or if you are like my friend, had planned your senior prom since you started high school and then got food poising the night before and spend it in the E.R instead.

Surround yourself with people that will reassure you that things will eventually be all ok and that better things are coming.

By far one of the best feelings is knowing that you have someone to fall on and help you back up. My best friend always tells me "I know things aren't going ok right now but that's ok because God has better things coming your way." And she has been right every time. So If you didn't get the job, don't worry a better one is coming. If you didn't ace your test, it's okay to tell yourself that you'll work harder and do better on the next one. Always know that there are people around you who will always be more than willing to lend you that hand you need when you are screaming for help.

Don't let your thoughts win when you are down and know that you are good enough.

When you are going through a very difficult time emotionally it's very easy for us to feel like we aren't doing enough. Now, when we are vulnerable it's even easier to beat ourselves up and end up thinking negatively about who we are or all that we are doing. I, for one, know that there are many times in which I don't feel good enough as a student. Maybe it's because I turned in an assignment in which I knew I could have done better or perhaps it was a test in which I got a C and desperately needed an A for. However, bad days don't reflect who you are. So go to your bathroom mirror and tell yourself "I am good enough".

You can be 13, 18, 21, 30, or even 46 and you will still face many obstacles that you will feel that overpower you. It's important to remind yourself that you can do this. Times might get rough but that only means that you will get stronger and wiser. If you need to hurt, let it hurt as long as you eventually get back up again and you show those who doubted you, or even show yourself that even after a rough patch, even after being mad at the world or the tears that you Shed, that you are okay. That you have the power to do what you set yourself to.