A Reminder: This Too Shall Pass

I don’t know about you, but if you’re anything like me before I leave for school, you’re a wreck. You can’t sleep. You hit up all of your favorite hometown restaurants and eat everything in sight. You drink tea like it’s going out of style to calm your nerves. Even looking at your calendar gives you anxiety. But most of all, you just don’t want to leave home or return to the grind of college, no matter how fun you know it’ll be when you finally get there and get settled again.

I can imagine it’s even more daunting for freshmen; I was there last year, when all of this craziness was magnified 100 times. On top of that, I was in denial that I would even have to leave my hometown; it just wasn’t something I was quite ready to let go, even though it had been driving me crazy since mid-July. I’m starting to think it’s something I’ll never be ready for as my anxiety arises once more.

Now I’m not going to say that I have any cures for SNS (Summer Nesting Syndrome), but I’m not writing this post to suggest cures. I’m not sure if there are any out there. However, I am writing this post to reassure incoming freshmen, fellow stressed-out students and myself of one thing: this too shall pass.

If there’s any motto that you should have for this time of year, as well as your academic year, it’s this. Always remember that tough or stressful times aren’t permanent. Fears such as uprooting your life, leaving your hometown or making new friends will eventually be overcome. It may not be this year, it may not be next year, it may not be within your entire college career, but someday, they won’t be fears or sources of stress anymore.

The same goes for your academic pursuits. That essay due Tuesday will eventually get done. It has to, even if you’re up all night Monday writing it. And then, after twelve hours of torture, you’ll be done. By next week, you’ll never have to think about that paper again – the time to stress over it has passed. It’s not even worth sweating in the fast-paced academic environment of college because you won’t have to worry about most assignments for more than a week or two.

It may be tough to see that light at the end of the tunnel sometimes – especially in the midst of a big change like leaving home for the first time – but take comfort in knowing one is there. Embrace that knowledge, and face change as positively and healthfully as you can. It’ll always be daunting, but not for too long.

And if all else fails, I highly suggest listening to some mellow tunes, starting with this carefree, feel-good ditty by Bombay Bicycle Club or Michael Cera’s new lo-fi album, if you're feeling something more relevant.

- A