Some hard lessons I have had to learn while adapting to the college lifestyle are: Time management, Crisis mode, Fight or flight, and Rewarding Yourself. Though these were hard to endure, they were even harder to practice efficiently.

Time Management

...Is arguably the hardest task life ever granted us. How are we expected to do all of these things in so little time? The answer is...you don’t. You have to prioritize, and that’s a new concept in itself. You don’t have to punish your body with all-nighters to finish all of these grueling tasks. You can set aside time to do them later, and get things done that are due first or are the highest ranked on your "most important" list.

You have to learn the hard lesson of balancing school, work, and everything else in between. If you don’t squeeze in some downtime then you might as well get ready to go a little crazy because it will happen. Sure school and work are pretty important but also seeing your family and friends are a nice stress reliever, in some cases. It’s nice to take a break from responsibilities to interact with other people, and not your overheated laptop with forty open tabs. It’s a nice change of scenery. This is a must. Though it can be a reward at times, it is just one of those necessary things.

Crisis mode

I know. Life happens. Things get in the way of what’s truly important and it clouds your judgement for a bit. But just know that no matter the situation you are in that your mental and physical health is the MOST important part of this journey. Whether it’s a bad relationship and you need to get out of it or you’re stressing about to tragic family, or friends health conditions, or anything else. Seek help if it gets to a point that worries you. It’s never a bad thing to reach out and seek help. It’s very freeing to let things go, and to find other ways to cope with the many obstacles that life sends us.

Fight or Flight

Classes can be tough. Do what you can. And know your limitations. If you’re in over your head then do not be afraid to seek other options or reach out and start a study group or sign up for tutoring. I am so grateful for the help I received because without it I have no clue where I would be. So in the flight aspect run towards getting better. Push through those hard classes or boring classes because you need the credit hours. You need the grades. Set goals for yourself and fight for the grade that you personally think you deserve.

Rewarding Yourself

College can take a toll on you. Especially if you work and go to school. Then it gets pretty rough on your energy. I am a big stress pile and I NEED my downtime. I call it my "me time" because I need that homebody feel. I need those very unproductive moments of binge-watching tv shows that I’ve missed, and old Hollywood movies that have touched my heart. I need a good cry sometimes. I need my relaxing time to recuperate from finals and midterms, and all of the formal writing. Know that it is a must. Even if your version of this is getting out of the house then do that. Whatever makes you the happy clam that we all want you to be.

All in all college is fantastic. I’ve never loved and hated something so much in my entire life.