From one college student to another, we all feel the stress. That stress of this semester seems to be at an all-time high since Thanksgiving seems to be dancing just out of our reach.

Let me share with you my college status as of now. I might be getting a C in a class. I feel discouraged and unaccomplished considering that I got all A's last semester. I feel like I am giving it my all. Yet, nothing seems to be good enough. In order for me to even be somewhat alright with that C, I feel like I have to get A's in the rest of my classes. That is difficult for me at this point because I am sitting at low B's in two of my classes already.

Now I am aware some of you may have it harder or may be getting lower grades.

My point is that it is okay.

Professors may be telling you that you should be doing better or that they expected more from you. If you are trying your best, that is all that matters. Don't push yourself into someone else's expectations. That is only going to cause more strain on yourself than there needs to be. I feel like I have to be at their standards as well, but then I realized that sacrificing my health to meet my professors' expectations isn't necessary.

Now getting low grades suck. Having to lower your personal standards to get a C sucks too. I am in the same boat as you. People complain to you all the time that their grades suck and these are the people where they want a C but have a D. You are the overachiever. When it comes to you complaining about a C or B in a class where you are striving for an A, it really comes into perspective of who knows you or not.

It is not fair for them to say get over it.

You felt like you are failing. Overachievers hold themselves to a higher standard because they put in the necessary amount of effort for acquiring those grades. Remember the famous lyrics, "When you try your best, but you don't succeed," it heavily applies to the overachievers. It isn't fair to say that to us when it hits us so hard. You have your friends saying, "stop trying so hard," then your professors are saying, "you are not trying hard enough." They don't know that you are an overachiever because people put so much pressure on you.

Ignore everyone.

It is that time where you need to stop pleasing everyone. These are your grades and your college career. If you are trying your very best in a certain class, then tell the professor off. That's not fair to you or your mental psyche. Tell your friends off as well. They have their college standards and you have yours. They aren't real friends if they don't support you. Most importantly, tell yourself it is okay to not be understanding the material. There are other people out there who are with you and going through the exact same thing. Give yourself that mental pep talk and remember:

You aren't alone and you will get through this.