So, now that you're in college, it's probably hit you pretty hard that sleep is just something you never seem to have enough of. Being in a fast paced environment with so much to keep track of, whether it's classes, homework, clubs, sports, work, or other commitments, you're constantly moving from one thing to the next and don't have a lot of downtime. College goes by so fast and it probably makes sense to you, now that you're experiencing it, that it truly is the fastest four years of your life.
At times, the strenuous and fast-paced environment can get the best of you. We all know that. Sometimes there are just so many things you have to get done, and sleep gets put on the back burner. It happens. We've all experienced the brutal all-nighters in the library from time to time. As you get deeper into your college career, exhaustion becomes part of your everyday life. You can't seem to get away from it. You might occasionally get a good night's sleep. Seven whole hours! But guess what? You're probably still going to wake up feeling like you never even closed your eyes.
Why? College.
It's the most rewarding and most stressful four years of your life, but you wouldn't want it any other way. If you can fight through the grueling, never-ending exhaustion for four years straight and still enjoy yourself, well then, you're prepared for anything the world can throw your way after you leave college. College students everywhere can agree, that these are the seven grueling stages of total exhaustion.
1. Struggling to open your eyes in the morning.
The unbearable sound of your fifth alarm goes off and you can barely bring yourself to reach over and turn it off. You manage to slightly open your eyelids to come to the realization that you feel like you've been hit by a bus and your eyes are as puffy as can be from clenching them shut all night. Those four hours of sleep felt like a catnap and all you want to do is hit snooze on your phone and roll back over. But guess what? You can't. You have a whole day of classes and work to get through. Grab that morning cup of coffee and get going.
2. Fidgeting around in your seat in class.
We've all had that feeling in class when you know you're starting to crash and you can't shake the exhaustion. You fidget around and try to do anything to keep your eyes from glazing over and zoning out. You try chugging some water. Nothing. You sit upright and try to focus. Doesn't do the trick. You might even have to leave class and walk around in the hallway for a second to get the blood flowing back in your body. Maybe it's time for another iced coffee.
3. More coffee.
Maybe getting some more caffeine in the body when you're starting to crash will help you grind through all of the work you still need to get done before tomorrow. An iced coffee with a shot of espresso? Fingers crossed it'll do the trick and keep you awake.
4. Snack break.
You've been doing work for hours and the caffeine is starting to make you jittery. You convince yourself that taking a snack break will help give you the boost your body needs to keep going. You take a break, eat some food, and update yourself on all of the things you missed on social media.
5. Crash again.
The post-snack/meal crash is the absolute worst. Not only are you mentally exhausted from doing work all day, but also your body is now physically exhausted from trying to digest the food you just ate. It takes some serious willpower to be able to push through this type of crash.
6. Your eyes start to glaze over.
It's getting into the late hours of the night and you truly begin to feel the effects of total exhaustion. You're trying to study, but your eyes are so tired and you have to keep blinking to refocus them. You're trying to retain information, but at this point, it's going in one ear and out the other. People are slowly getting up one by one in the library to go home for the night. You keep getting distracted by the thought of getting up along with them to go home to your comfy bed but you convince yourself to stay.
7. The end has come.
You've given up wrestling with yourself. It's finally time to call it a night. You walk like a zombie into your room and can't wait to snuggle up under the covers and hit the pillow. You don't even want to think about doing it all over again tomorrow. Sweet dreams!
Being exhausted truly does earn a whole new meaning when you're in college.
