Picture this: it’s about one o’clock in the morning, and I’m lying in bed after finishing yet another major project this semester when all of a sudden, a realization hits me with the force of a brick. After finals, I will officially be more than halfway done with my college education. How terrifying is that? I distinctly remember applying to Tech on a whim, convinced I wasn’t going to be accepted, and hoping for the opposite. Now look at me: I am halfway to completing a double major in the field of my dreams, I have made some wonderful friends along the way, and I can’t imagine things playing out any differently.
Despite all of the good, though, there is also this huge knot of terrified nerves in my chest that just won’t go away. I don’t even know what I ate for breakfast this morning, let alone how I plan on getting an actual job in the real world. Who decided it was okay to let me get this close to actual adulting?
Seriously though, while you’re in the thick of the semester, it can be so easy to get wrapped up in all of the stress and the due dates and don’t even get me started on the finals. Sometimes it just feels like the semester is going to chew you up and spit you out before you can even start to act otherwise. I know that for me, personally, the end of the semester always makes me feel this way. No matter how organized I am, or how proactive I try to be, I always end up feeling like there is too much to get accomplished in too little time. Thankfully, I have a few outlets for all of this stress.
When I start to feel overwhelmed, there are usually a few tricks I try out. Right away, I try to take a breath, regroup, and refocus. When that doesn’t work, I know that I can lean on my friends and family for support, and I could not be more grateful. It’s important to take a look back and see what you’ve accomplished so far, which usually helps me clear my head and prepare myself for the weeks ahead. When all else fails, though, I know that I can always count on the things that I am passionate about.
Reading and writing have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and I always know that I can fall back on them when I am freaking out. Even if I just carve out like a half hour to read here and there, or I set a goal of writing one page each day, taking the time to do the things that bring me joy always help to calm me down.
Whether or not the fear of the end of the semester has hit you yet, I feel like we can all benefit from a friendly reminder here and there, so here goes: this feeling is temporary. No matter how big or small your worries and anxieties may be, they will pass. Just take a deep breath, try to relax, and know that you’re almost there. Another semester is almost in the books.
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