It’s OK to feel overwhelmed sometimes. As the semester draws closer to its end, it’s easy to feel suffocated by the homework, tests, papers and general assignments.

Or the dread that comes along with preparing to answer the question of what you’re going to do for the rest of your life once you graduate.

This semester has gifted me with two major research papers, one of which comes with its own host of outside projects. Not to mention that, for the first time since my freshman year, I have major finals in all of my classes.

Sometimes I just sit and look at all the papers and books related to the research and studying I have to do and feel an overwhelming urge to check myself into the nearest mental health facility just to escape it all.

I’m also getting older, so on top of all the school and work things going on, I’m trying to plan a future outside of graduation. At times, it feels as if the walls are closing in.

I know that I’m not alone in this compulsion.

It’s nothing to feel ashamed of. It happens to the best of us. It’s easy to want to mask it and act as if nothing is wrong but that’s not going to help anything.

Those of us who have jobs or other outside obligations feel this strain even more because it’s so hard to find that perfect balance between homework, social engagements and work obligations.

However, we all must remain diligent, because it’s almost over. In four short days, we will be on Spring Break, and although it will be spent doing work for most of us, it may also afford us that much needed recharge.

It’s unfortunate that our break has fallen so late in the semester, but remember that when we come back we will only have three weeks of school left.

Those of you who are graduating will only have two.

So, don’t give up. I know it’s so easy to say to heck with everything but we can’t do that. We can’t let a bad five minutes ruin our whole day.

That all-encompassing fear you’re having because of that test you think you might have failed will pass. Just do whatever you have to do to ensure you pass the next one.

If you’re having a tough time with your classes, go talk to your professors. I know it’s a common saying, but it really works. A couple of weeks ago, I hit a really low point that had me questioning everything that I was doing and going to do, so I went and had a talk with one of my professors.

He was able to make me look at things in a way that I had not previously been able to see, so trust me when I say that it works.

They’re here to help, but they can only help you if you talk to them.

If you got stuck in a group that you can’t get out of. And they are giving you grief, bite the bullet. Take charge and either get them in line or just do the work yourself.

It isn’t an ideal situation, but then again, life often isn’t ideal and we have to accept it.

Take a moment to cry, throw a fit or some other activity that releases the stress and anger, and then move on. We can’t allow the mental demons to detract us from the ultimate goal, which is graduation.

We don’t have to know all the answers all the time. As we go on in life, we are going to mess up. Some of them will be so bad that we won’t know how to come back from them, but we will.

With every failure, there is a lesson to be learned to prevent it in the future. Even though it seems scary, we can’t be afraid to act.

As my French professor would say: Vouloir c’est pouvoir  or where there’s a will, there’s a way.