As college students, it is in our best interest to study hard and succeed. Without hard work, it's unlikely that much will be achieved during the span of one's college experience or after graduation. You don't become amazing by sitting in your room doing nothing all day. Success is earned by the people who are willing to put hard work and dedication above anything and everything else. It is not something that will be handed to you, and if it were that easily achieved, it wouldn't mean nearly as much as it does. To some people, success is an option; to others, success is the only option.

No matter what your major is, studying is important to success. Long nights at the library are not always the ideal way to spend a large portion of your college experience, but they are quite necessary. That's not to say that you have to spend every free moment you have with a textbook and a cup of coffee, but you do need to spend a lot of moments like that in order to do well in school. Some nights, you'll be faced with a difficult decision of whether to go out with your friends, or stay in and study for an exam you know you need to study for. If you choose to stay in and study, you may be ridiculed for your decision. People may tell you that you're "studying too much" and "wasting your college years." Well, I'm here to tell you that those people are full of crap.

College is a fun time to experience new things, make new friends, and live your life the way you choose to. If you decide to spend every night partying with no regard to your educational experience, by all means, go for it. College is about independence and the freedom to make your own decisions. Whether or not that is the right decision is not my place to judge, and one's decision to spend a lot of time studying and working hard is not one that should be judged by others, either. Just because someone decides to spend a lot of their time studying, does not mean that they are wasting their college experience. To people who wish to be successful, college is about much more than the social experience alone; college is first and foremost about learning the necessary things to further your success and achievements. That doesn't mean that people who want to be successful can't party or have a good time - they can, and they should if they wish to. It's all about finding a balance that works. People should be free to decide that balance for themselves without judgement.

When people tell me that I study "too much," I see where they're coming from and realize that I do study a lot. However, when they say that like it's a bad thing, I almost feel bad for them. The people who say this are the people who have not found something they are passionate about. They're the people who don't share the same desire to succeed. When I spend hours in the library studying, it's because I want to learn the information I can apply towards my future career, and although it's difficult and tedious work at times, I know it's worth it because I know I'll love my career. I know that by working as hard as I do now, I am laying a strong foundation for my future, and I know that it will be well worth it. In college, it's difficult to think about the future rather than just living in the moment, but it is very important to take both into consideration. Find the balance between working hard and enjoying yourself now, and then in the future, you'll be able to live the life you've always wanted to. Never let anyone tell you that you're too hardworking, and never lose your drive to succeed. Passion and success are two things that no one can take away from you, no matter how hard anyone tries.