Being a college student is not easy. When you are in high school you hear wonderful stories about being a college student, however, they leave out some crucial details. Like how much money will be spent on just textbooks, how many jobs you will take on and how sensitive your mental state will be. But overall, how everything becomes a routine. Nonetheless, this is our reality and this is as real as it gets, so this article is to all the college students.
I know it is hard. You wake up, go to class, get off and go to work. If you are lucky or the day is going well, you eat. But for the most part, you work long hours, get yelled at by customers or your manager. Every time you think things are going swell, life hits you with a curve ball. I know, I am with you, I am tired, too.
We are tired of trying and things being ok for a second or two. We are tired of our parents telling us how irresponsible we are with our money. We are tired of working more than one job and it not being enough to pay for textbooks. It is tiring.
It is funny because no one in your family seems to understand, and if you are a first generation college student then no one comprehends the emptiness, the frustrations and the anger you feel when you are alone. I know. No one understands how badly you want to cry inside because high school work and the expectations are different from university level or Ivy League. I know. No one knows how badly you want to break because you are tired. Every time someone asks "how are you,"you just want to cry and tell them the truth and say you are not okay. You are far from okay. But you say "fine" because you feel that deep inside, the person does not care. Therefore, you hold onto your sorrows once again.
You want to put on a facade that everything is fine but it is far off from fine. Inside, you feel like you are trying but it is never enough. It will never be enough. But somehow you have to make yourself believe that for this very moment it is enough. For this very moment in time, the situation you are in will have to do because God knows right now you are broken, and you are running on E.
So you pray for that morning class professor to send an email and state that they are cancelling class. You would be ecstatic because now you can actually sleep. Now, you can actually say you rested even if it was for an extra 30 minutes, but at this point, you are not picky.
But when are you are crying to yourself, when you wipe off those tears, you get back up and you put a smile on your face because you know you are strong. You know that the tears that fall down your cheeks are your motivation to keep going.
You know that for right now things are rough, but everything will be ok because you are working. You have a roof over your head, clothes on your back and food on your table. You will be ok, and if you have to cry every now and then, so be it.
YOU ARE A WARRIOR.
You are strong. You are great and you will make it. I know you are tired but you WILL MAKE IT.
