It's official. The first day of autumn has come, and summer is long gone. It may feel like your freedom is officially gone while staring at your endless to-do list that seems to only ever get longer, but try not to stress. College is suppose to be the best four years of our lives, right? But it is hard to enjoy something when you are stuck in your room studying, writing papers, and calculating assignments all day long. College is about finding a balance between classes, homework, clubs, and trying to have a social life.

You're not alone

It can seem like everyone has their whole lives planned out from this moment on, but the truth is that no one knows how their life will really pan out. Instead of comparing how successful and organized that person is that sits in front of you in class is, focus on what your next step is. Don't try to figure out your whole life, just try to focus on what you're doing tonight.

It is okay to take a break and have fun

Yes, it is perfectly okay to leave the library to grab dinner with your friends, or watch an episode of Netflix before finishing a big essay. Take a break every single day to do something for yourself, instead of stressing over every little thing. Balancing your schedule out can be hard, and some weeks you will spend more time staring at your laptop screen, but eventually you will see the end of the to-do list.

You are important, and so is your health

We all know that pulling an all-nighter is bad for our health, but if staying up all night to cram for a test is the only way to succeed, it might be worth it. Be sure to remember to eat healthy, get plenty of sleep the next night, and take care of your mental health as well. Your body will thank you later.

Give it your best, but it may not be perfect

Failing one exam does not make you a failure. One bad grade will not ruin your entire GPA, so don't let it ruin your whole week. Many straight A students in high school are shocked to find out that college is a lot more demanding. As long as you put effort into everything you do, you can never completely fail knowing that you tried your best.

You will be successful

Take a step back from staring at your endless to-do list and think about the future. After you graduate, get an amazing job, and start becoming the real adult you dream to be, you will thank yourself for all of the hard work you put into (almost) every assignment. In a few years, you will be able to reap the benefits from all of the hard work you are doing right now.

So take a break from homework sometime soon and enjoy the crisp fall weather that is on its way. Classes can seem tough and the to-do list won't finish itself, but everyone knows that you can do this. Your future self will thank you for all of the time you are investing in your career.

To all of my friends struggling in school right now, I believe in you.