I know a thing or two about a tough semester. Whether it’s because of the curriculum or external factors like family emergencies, bad friend groups, or roommate troubles, I’ve experienced it all. This past semester, I lost my dad. He had been in the hospital since my freshman year, creating a constant layer of stress and turmoil on top of the usual demands of school work and extracurriculars. I’ve also faced the typical friendship drama and roommate issues that make an already stressful year even harder. Â
At some point in your college career, you’re bound to go through a difficult semester. So, how do you persevere through it?Â
Here are a couple of things that have helped me:
- Accept the possibility of failure or not reaching your expectations:Â
This may sound counterproductive, but accepting that you might not meet every expectation can help. Acknowledging that what you’re going through is hard, whether it’s a challenging class, a mental health struggle, or something happening at home, permits you to let go of perfection. Telling myself, “It’s ok to not get an A on this,” or “ It’s okay if I’m not 100% right now,” lifted a huge weight off my shoulders. Ironically, by putting less pressure on myself and allowing space for imperfection, I often ended up performing better.Â
- Find an Organization System that works for you:Â
Organization is everything, but it also has to work for you, and what works for you can also change over time. My whole life, I have always used a planner, but most recently, though, I kept forgetting to open my planner. It stopped working for me, and I needed to come up with a new system. Instead, what has worked best for me is using my phone – since I am always on it, I added deadlines and tasks to my calendar and reminders app, serving as a constant reminder to get it done. Whether it’s a physical planner, a Google Calendar, or sticky notes on your mirror, figure out which method works best for you and commit to what is going to help you stay on track.
- Tell yourself what your non-negotiables are:Â
During a tough semester, it is not realistic to do everything. So I often ask myself: What’s non-negotiable for me? Maybe it’s passing all your classes. Maybe it’s your job. Maybe it’s showing up for a few extracurriculars that actually energize you, not drain you. I had to learn to step back from activities that were more exhausting than fulfilling. By picking and choosing which activities served me, I could free up space for what mattered to me the most.
- Create a support system:
Your support system could be your classmates, your professors, your family, your friends, or even professionals. It might be your cousin, your roommate, or even your faculty advisor. And if no one close to you feels like an option, the Counselling Center (on the 5th floor of Miguel) is a great place to start. Even when you may feel completely alone, there are people who want to help. You just need to permit yourself to reach out.Â
- Ask for help:
This one is still hard for me. There is often this stigma behind asking for help, that it makes you weak, but asking for help is, in fact, a sign of strength. Whether it’s emailing a professor for an extension, attending a tutoring session, or asking a friend to send a message you’re too overwhelmed to write – something I had to do after my dad passed – it can make a huge difference. The worst thing you could do is isolate yourself. Don’t suffer in silence— you do not have to do this alone. It is ok to ask for help.Â
- Make time for fun:
I think many times when life feels overwhelming, we forget that we can still have fun; in fact, it is imperative. Whether it’s a walk in nature, a movie night, a TJ Maxx run, or a spontaneous trip into the city, make time for things that bring you happiness. The joy that you feel will rejuvenate you, so that you come back stronger for all the looming tasks ahead.Â
I hope some of these strategies help you the way they helped me. Tough semesters are hard, but you can and will get through them. Give yourself grace, lean on the people around you, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. You will get through this, I did.