I am the kind of person who gets stressed out about everything. And I mean everything. Finals, grades, service hours, my cat, you name it I've probably worried about it. This is a stark contrast to my best friend, Julia, who always seems to be calm about everything. She knows how to compartmentalize incredibly well and is so well-adjusted it's infuriating.

One day I was complaining about all of the things stressing me out, (i.e.; school, sorority, relationships, etc.) and she sort of chuckles and says, "It's kind of funny, mostly because I never really stress myself out with stuff like that." At this point, I was just done with the day and replied much like a 12-year-old with horrible comebacks. I said, "Yeah, well, you stink and I'm jealous." To which she replied with wisdom far beyond her years. She laughed and said "I like to think of all of this as just a moment in time, nothing's really permanent, and most things can be fixed. I'm not saying you shouldn't work hard, but you should always remember that there's really no reason to put yourself under that much pressure."

It's something everyone tells you, but for myself, and people like me, it's incredibly difficult to do. It's meaning is far greater when coming from someone you regard so highly. Julia and I have been best friends for 16 years and she doesn't talk much, so I know when she says something, it's time for me to listen. Because of what she said, I think about it every time I feel the world is ending (or whatever). It's almost becoming my mantra: this is a moment in time.

With this phrase, comes even more implications than maybe even she realized. If you take life moment by moment, it's okay to take a risk or two. It's okay to make mistakes, it's okay to live the life you want to live. It's time to give yourself permission to live a beautiful, vibrant, and crazy life. Tell stories, say the wrong thing, play hard and work harder. And when the time comes, give yourself time to breathe. No matter what happens, the sky isn't falling and you will be okay. You will make it this time, just as you always have. Life is the longest thing we ever do, but we aren't guaranteed a second of it.