Dear College Student,

This year has been pretty rough so far. You're getting closer and closer to having to figure out what you're going to do with your life and time isn't helping much. For some reason this semester seems to be pretty challenging, in more ways than one. There's your classes, your homework load, your job, your free time, your friends, your boy situation and for some, your spiritual life. It's tough to balance everything in your schedule all while trying to find time to sleep. Not to mention it's midterm season and that's enough stress in itself. All you really want to do is just nap and forget your problems! Trust me, I'm at that point.

If you're like me, you may be hitting the "sophomore slump." I didn't know that was a thing until it hit me and it hit me hard. There's very little motivation to do anything. You're just done with your classes, you're overly stressed, you're moody and you're emotional. You also feel like you're failing all your classes and what you are doing just isn't good enough. You may even feel you are stressed out over things that aren't really something to be stressed out about. If you're feeling this way,then maybe it's hitting you too. Don't worry, you're not alone because everyone in college goes through a breaking point of some sort sometime in their college career, whether that be sophomore year or even senior year.

You may find yourself wishing this semester over already. To just be done with this year so it can be summer and freedom and fun. I feel that way too. Although the more I think about it, the more I realize that I actually am enjoying some of my classes. This negative mindset keeps getting in the way of actually enjoying them and getting something out of them, like my education. You may find yourself just going through the motions, doing just enough to get by with a passing grade and that's not okay. Now, I'm not here to shake my finger at anyone doing this because I'm guilty of it too.

We shouldn't be slacking, we are in college now. We are here to get the best education we can possibly get and by grumbling, complaining and slacking we aren't getting a good, solid college experience. Yes we should focus on the education because that's a top priority, but we should be having fun too. We shouldn't be wishing away the time because before we know it, it's going to be gone and we're going to be heading into the adult world. Isn't that what they say? Enjoy this time because it's one of the best times of you life and before you know it, it's going to be gone and you'll never get it back. So now's the time to put our learning abilities to the test all while making this a memorable experience. I want to remember the knowledge I gained, the good times I had and enjoy every moment because when I look back I don't want to feel like I complained and wasted my time by just getting by.

If you're feeling that with each test and each assignment, you're digging yourself into a deeper hole than before (grade wise), don't worry too much, it's just a grade. That doesn't define how hard you worked or who you are as a student. All you can do is your best and sometimes you struggle and that's okay. All you need to do is pick yourself up, dust yourself off and go at again more motivated than before. You can do it if you just set your mind to it. Don't let procrastination and slacking get in your way.

Lastly, I feel that if you're having a really tough time, just give it to God. He is there to take all your problems and burdens and lift them off your shoulders onto His. He wants to help you. That's what "He does," but you have to seek "Him" first. You have to take that step and fully surrender your problems to "Him." He's listening, trust me, even if He doesn't seem like He is and by doing this, I know you will feel ten times better than you have felt in a long time. I know it's easy to want to handle all your problems yourself, take all the weight of it and struggle to get by. It would feel much better if you didn't this time. Psalm 55:22 says, "Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken." So let go and let God. It's time.

So college student, take it a step at a time and breath. You can do this. You're going to get by. Just pump yourself up, find time to have fun, do the work and pray to God. Everything will get better, I promise.

Sincerely,

Your Fellow Struggle Busser