As the end of the semester rapidly approaches, many of us feel stress. We worry about acing finals, making winter break plans, applying for internships, and preparing answers to the questions our families are going to drill us with over dinners. Although our anxieties should not be belittled, I often find it helpful to put them into perspective and to step back and try to see the bigger picture. So, here are 7 words of wisdom I try to remind myself during these two weeks every year that help me not only get through it but also experience it with a smile on my face.
1. You’ve done this before, so you can do it again.
Think about it, this is most likely not the first time you’ve ever taken a hard test. You took them in high school, you took them to get into Emory, and you’ve been taking them here.
2. If everyone else is doing it, so can you.
Not just Emory students, but also people in other colleges around the world, grad schools, law schools, med schools, etc. You’re in school here for a reason: you’re totally capable of handling the workload.
3. These exams do not define you.
Your grades in these classes do not define you. Even your GPA for this one semester does not define you. You are much more than that.
4. You’re almost done.
I know it’s a given, but even if these days are difficult and you feel like you’re stretching yourself thin, it’ll all be over in just one week.
5. The harder you work now, the better you’ll feel when it’s all over.
Think about it this way: if you wanted to get to the top of Mount Everest, would the view seem more beautiful to you if you took a helicopter to the top, or if you spent days of hard work and perseverance climbing to get there? The latter would probably be much more rewarding. The harder you push yourself now, the more you’re going to enjoy your break and the rest you deserve.
6. You need to push yourself because nobody else is going to do it for you.
If that exam or class is really so important to you, you (and not anybody else) will find a way.
7. Finally, at times you must ask yourself: how much does it actually matter in the big picture?
Will this one test or one grade in a class really matter to me tomorrow? A week from now? A semester from now? A year from now? Five years from now? Chances are, no.
So with that, I wish you all to go forth into Club Libz with a smile on your face because you do have all the tools, wisdom, and stamina to get yourself through this week!