If you are anything like me, planning ahead is a big deal for you. At the end of every semester, I begin planning for the next without skipping a beat. I start shopping for school supplies, organizing my planner and mapping out my activities and responsibilities.
Amid this extreme lust for the organization, I realize that I may have signed up for one too many classes or took on more responsibility than I thought I could handle. I begin adding up how much time a day I will be doing things and realize that I won't have any time for myself. I begin to freak out and stress out not even halfway through my break.
I go to my friends and family and vent about how stressed I am for the next semester, and they give me advice and encouragement to help me calm myself down. As someone who is a little bit too much of a control freak, it can be hard to just let go and trust that I am capable of doing everything I need and staying on top of things. That's why it was so important that I learn how to encourage myself and others. Here are some pieces of advice and encouragements that people have given me that have helped me whenever I am feeling stressed about the upcoming semester.
1. Everything Will Be OK
While this is a very bland and generic piece of encouragement, it still has its truth to it. Every semester, bad things happen that are out of our control. No matter how awful it seems at the time, it will be OK in the long run. Everyone makes mistakes and is capable of messing things up. By this time next year, you won't even remember the things you were stressing about.
2. Don't take on more than you can handle
Whether it's taking on a leadership role in a campus club or Greek organization, taking extra classes, working two jobs, or thinking about taking up yoga, think about how much time you actually have in a day for extra responsibility. Sometimes, it seems manageable at first, but halfway through you can get overwhelmed.
Before you make a decision, think about how well you can handle extra tasks in a day and decide if the responsibility is worth the stress before you commit. If you have already committed and it's too much for you, try to decide what you can drop and what you can't. Your sanity is far more important than anything else.
3. Your mental and physical health are far more important than grades
It's so easy to put your own personal needs off when you are busy with homework, classes, campus organizations, family, friends, and work. It's so important that you take care of yourself before you jump onto the next big thing in your schedule. Take time to shower, eat meals, take naps, exercise, and even pamper yourself. It's important to not overwhelm your mind too much because an anxious mind leads to bad decisions and poor health.
If you can't make it to class because you're too mentally and physically exhausted, then take a day to yourself.* If you have homework but you can't keep your eyes open for one more second, take a rest. Without your body and mind, you can't do anything so treat them well.
*I am not suggesting that you skip class all the time, but only in extreme circumstances which require you to allow yourself to rest your body and mind in order for the benefit of you and your grades/work. Your grades and success in college will follow you for the rest of your career; do not make poor decisions in regards to skipping class and studying unless you have a strong and valid excuse to do so.
4. Live a Little
As someone who puts work over fun a lot, it's so easy for me to go weeks without having any sort of human interaction or a crazy adventure. Remember to take the time to have fun. Go out with your friends, go to a football game, have a movie marathon with your friends or family, or try that new restaurant in town; just do something enjoyable. It is so important that you take the time to let your worries go and your inhibitions fly. Be creative and just let loose for a little bit. You'll thank me later.
5. Start strong, stay strong, finish strong
We all know how every semester starts out: We all want to do well and are super determined to make this semester the best one yet. We spend days planning out how exactly we will make it the best one yet, but somehow every semester we all seem to slowly edge away from those hopes and dreams. Once the real work starts, don't let yourself wander from those hopes for your semester. If you allow yourself to fall off of the train, it's way harder to get back on. If you started the semester with a study plan, stick to it. If you began diligently taking notes in class, don't stop.
Start off your semester strong and keep working at it. I know things happen and it gets extremely overwhelming at times, but trust me, you can do it and you can finish strong.
6. Give it all that you've got
In the end, your success in this semester is all up to you. If you try your hardest and give it everything that you are willing to give, you have the ability to make this semester the best one yet. Give yourself to tools to help you and surround yourself with positive and influential people and you can do it. Put yourself out there, make yourself vulnerable, and give yourself the opportunity to shine.7. You are worthy of success
No matter what you tell yourself or what other people tell you, you are so capable of doing what you believe you can do. We all have bad semesters where it feels impossible to get back in the game. We all make mistakes and have a hard time in classes that bore us to death. But you are always worthy of success. However, what you define success as is what matters the most.It doesn't matter if you consider success a 4.0 or a 2.5. It doesn't matter if you consider success to be losing or gaining five pounds. Success can be a new car, organized life, getting on the Dean's List, finally starting to go to the gym, or obtaining a new outlook on life. No matter what you define it as, you can make it happen. Your success is up to you.Semesters can be difficult and can take a lot out of you. It's important to remember why you are working so hard, but it's also important to not lose sight on your goals. Remember to confide in people about what you're going through and be the person that they can confide in as well. As hard as it can be, don't lose yourself in worry and stress and I promise that it will all work out in the end.
