I believe there’s a certain kind of girl on every campus, the one who looks exhausted but still manages to smile at everyone on her way to class, the one who pushes through her 8 a.m. labs, late-night study sessions, and group projects that seem to fall on her shoulders. She’s tired, overwhelmed, overthinking, and juggling more than what anyone sees. But she still shows up. Every. Single. Day.
This love letter is for her.
To the girl who is running on iced coffee, prayers, and pure determination to break generational cycles, you’re doing so much better than you think. Even when your to-do list feels never-ending and your brain feels like a tab that refuses to close. Even when you’re surviving off the last five dollars in your bank account and sheer faith in tomorrow. You still keep going, and that resilience deserves praise.
This is for the girl who cries in the shower, wipes her face, and walks to class like nothing happened. The girl who holds it together for her friends, her family, her grades, and herself. You may not realize it now, love, but that kind of strength isn’t ordinary. It’s beautiful, rare, and it’s powerful.
This is for the girl who doesn’t always feel like “that girl”, who sometimes feels the opposite. The one with the messy room, overdue assignments, and a sleep schedule that is beyond messed up. You deserve softness too. You deserve patience. You deserve the space to breathe. Productivity doesn’t define your worth, and burnout isn’t proof that you’re a failure, it’s proof that you’ve been giving everything you have.
To the girl who chooses to show up even when she’s mentally tired, emotionally drained, or overwhelmed, thank you. Thank you for trying. Thank you for showing yourself grace. Thank you for pushing forward even when the world feels heavy. You might not be able to say it out loud, but you’re doing the best you can with what you have, and that’s more than enough. I see you. I value you. I’m proud of you.
This semester might’ve thrown unexpected challenges at you, tough exams, personal battles, loss of friendships, confusing assignments, changing relationships, and mornings when your bed felt heavier than usual. But through it all, you never gave up, you never stopped being you, and you never took your eyes off the end goal.
So here’s your reminder: rest shouldn’t be a reward, it’s your right. Take a nap. Clean your space. Put that face mask on. Say no when you need to. Let yourself feel your emotions; you’re not a machine disguised as a college student.
Above all, this is the truth you often forget: you’re allowed to be tired and still be deserving of love, success, happiness, and peace. Showing up isn’t just about perfection, it’s about choosing yourself every time you get back up.
If no one has told you today, I’m proud of you. I see you. Keep going, but more importantly, keep taking care of yourself by taking it one day at a time.
