As midterms continue, many of us find ourselves struggling to balance our schedules and mentally prepare for the week(s) that will inevitably be spent sleep deprived, caffeinated, and potentially malnourished. Lately, I have been pondering why exactly it seems so difficult for me to organize my life so that I can avoid the dreadful side effects of existing off of power naps, staying up all night to cram, and stress eating. The most logical conclusion is society.

At some point in our lives, and even possibly now, we have been supported in some way by our parents or guardians. There was nothing that could prepare us for moving out and experiencing parts of the real world until we were actually shoved from the nest. Now, we are learning to pay bills on time, balance our checkbooks, keep up with expenditures, maintain steady part-time or full-time jobs, apply for internships, and partake in various community service activities. We are discovering that there are necessary day-to-day chores that must be accomplished, such as deep cleaning (vacuums, mops, and toilet brushes—oh my), remembering to go grocery shopping when we run low on food, and cooking meals without burning the house down. To keep up appearances, we are also attempting to find the best ways in which we can add exercise and a decent amount of sleep each night to our busy schedules.

On top of these new adult-like responsibilities that we are trying to grasp, most of us are full-time students taking anywhere from 13 to 18 hours each semester. These courses are not always straightforward and simple, either. Some of them require reading one to two 30-page chapters a week in a textbook. Other classes require essays, research papers, homework, or a combination of these things. The effort put into each course outside of the classroom can take up several hours per week.

We realize that the decisions we make are our own, and we could easily choose not to complete everything on our never-ending “to-do” lists. However, society likes to see what we can accomplish; thus, many of us strive to show them just what we are made of. Future employers do not want to just see that we graduated with a degree from a four-year university; they want to see prior work experience, internships, and community service. Your parents do not want to see all of the hard work that they spent preparing you for these particular years in your life flushed down the drain; they want to see that you are growing into a mature young adult that has grasped the true definition of responsibility. Your friends and family do not want to see that college has taken a toll on your appearances; they want to see that you are in the best shape of your life.

I realize that this definitely does not apply to everyone. Some people find that healthy balance and are able to make it work to their advantage. I am also not using this article as a way to complain about everything society wants to see us accomplish (high expectations combined with various trials and errors can mold us into pretty awesome people). I am writing, however, to recognize all of the ambitious and driven students that constantly feel overwhelmed and are continuously trying to make ends meet. Growing up definitely is not easy, and we have no choice but to learn how to “adult” the hard way. Whether it is that nearly impossible 4.0 GPA, an interview for that dream job, or even a new max in the weight room, every one of us deserves some sort of acknowledgment for whatever it is we are currently striving to achieve.

When you begin to feel the weight of your growing “to-do” list bearing down on you, prioritize the things that are important to you. The challenges and the struggles are not worth it if you are not crazy about the goal you are working towards. Your health and your happiness should be placed before anything that society desires from you. I am not saying that you should fail all of your classes this semester, but I am suggesting that you keep in mind that “almost perfect” on an exam is one step closer to “perfect.” Furthermore, give yourself a self-five because—even though the rest of the world may wonder why D, E, and F are not completed alongside A, B, and C—you are accomplishing so much more than you probably ever thought possible.