Take a look around you. Everyone is stressed, exhausted, overwhelmed, and struggling. Life gets really tough at times and we, as college students, feel it especially during the last few weeks of semester. Finals come up and suddenly there’s tests and projects every day for 14 days straight. But it is in this time more than ever that it’s important for students to remember exactly why we’re in school and why we’re working towards an end goal.

It’s very easy to focus solely on the present. I think this is the mindset that causes many people to not accomplish everything they want in life. People make mistakes and decisions based on their current situations and desires without realizing the impact that those decisions will have on them in the long run. While college is extremely stressful, we are all working towards a degree. That alone is something to be proud of. However, you want to be proud of all the work you’ve put in when you walk across that stage to get your degree. Whether that moment is 6 months or 4 years away, it’s still a huge motivator to keep in mind.

Furthermore, our degrees are going to impact so many more people than just ourselves. People pursue an education and careers because (hopefully) it’s something that they are passionate and excited about. This means we should be leaving college ready to jump into our career field and leave a lasting impact on whatever career we find ourselves in. I am constantly reminding myself of all the things I want to do after graduating and all of the people I want to help, and that thought alone is enough to keep motivating me to work hard and not stop until the very end.

So, let this serve as a quick reminder to every college student trying their hardest to finish the semester strong. We are all working towards a degree that will turn into something bigger than ourselves. We are all working to continuously grow as people so we can become the person that God meant us to be. We are all barely hanging in there, but when this time is over we will wish we could have it all back. So take it in. Every all-nighter, every stress breakdown, and all 10 cups of coffee. We are all in this together and we can all try our hardest to finish strong.