Dear Hard-Working College Student,

Please give yourself a break. You deserve it. Especially if you think that you don't deserve it, you do. College is hard, especially the first month. You are adjusting to a new environment and way of life. Even if this is not your first year, it's still hard.

You are doing amazing things, just by being at college. You are getting yourself out of bed, keeping yourself fed, and learning how to be with yourself, by yourself. This is hard.

You are taking classes that are each more difficult than any you have experienced in the past. Not only are these classes harder, but they are in many ways, totally different. They are a different size, a different way of instruction, a different level of intensity, with a different variety of ages, and sometimes, in a different building a mile away from each other.

Add on a varsity sport to these classes, and you have yourself an extra busy week. The sport is also a whole new level of intensity. Your body is physically and emotionally tired, with or without the addition of a sport.

The "option" of not going to class can be oh so tempting, but you have made it this far by going to classes, so why put on the brakes now? You are going to class to do amazing things and to learn amazing things. So focus when you are in class and get done what needs to get done, and when you can go to bed early, let it happen. You deserve a cozy bed and long night of sleep.

Let us appreciate all that college is. Let us accept that it is hard and that we deserve a reward for getting out of bed somedays. So, reward yourself with that Chipotle Bowl. Do it, I dare you. Have an entire bag of M&Ms. Cry. Cry because you are exhausted and feel alone. Then cry with someone so that you know you are not alone. Whatever it is, make sure you know how much you are doing and how much it inspires others.