Ugh finals. I'm pretty sure the collegiate students across the nation right now can agree that Dead Week (the week right before Finals Week) is absolute hell. We are all overwhelmed with assignments, projects, and essays. We are struggling to finish lab reports while trying to study for our last mathematics exam. Our weeks are filled with Starbucks, tears, late night snacking, and a huge sleep deficiency.

As I was sitting at my desk, stressing over my 5 essays due next week, and wondering how I was going to complete them all, I noticed water gathering in my eyes. I was actually beginning to cry tears of stress and frustration because of my school work.

And then I realized how idiotic I felt; crying over something as trivial as an essay, or a presentation. Because there are BIG problems out there in the world. They are human beings dying and starving and sick and I'm over here pouting over my abundance of homework? I should be thankful for my ability to even attend college. I should realize how blessed I am to be able to afford tuition at a private university. I should be thankful for the opportunity to receive a higher education. I should be grateful that I don't have cancer and I'm not starving or homeless or alone.

Not to say that stressing over final exams is bad, because legitimate frustration and anxiety over testing and essays are real problems. I'm just saying that there are always worse circumstances to be crying over, or stressing over, or caring about. Yes, right now, getting an A in all five of my classes is probably my highest priority, but I should be grateful that more important priorities don't supersede this.

I am healthy, happy, and a blessed college student. Yes, I hate Dead Week just as much as the next student, but I also realize how lucky I am to only be stressing over school work, when there are much bigger issues in the world. It may feel like I'm drowning, but I most definitely am not. And for this, I know I can conquer Dead Week.