There’s nothing like hitting the mid-semester slump. Work has started to pile up, you’ve missed that one class one too many times and you can’t remember the last time you did laundry. Unfortunately, this low point of the semester has been hitting me a little harder than usual. When life feels like it’s giving you blow after blow, it can be easy to want to just give up completely. While the idea of running away and starting a new life somewhere off the grid seems more and more tempting, the reality is we still have more than 10 weeks to go. If you, like me, have found yourself having “one of those weeks,” I’m here to remind you that you’re not alone.

It all started when I spilled juice all over my laptop. Slowly watching the sticky juice seep into my keyboard left me feeling an indescribable pain. The panic only grew as I realized Apple didn’t have any appointments for six days and my countless computer science  projects sat unfinished on my frozen laptop. Trying to borrow a school computer, only to be told they were completely out for at least three more days added to this pain. I sent many  emails to professors and bosses asking for extensions. The hopelessness I’d already been feeling at this point in the semester only grew.

On top of all this, I had firmly come to the decision that I needed to quit my job. Having reached a breaking point, I felt confident I needed to find something new to save my mental health, but the fear of leaving something comfortable was scary. I tried to make a decision while  feeling all the conflicting emotions of my broken laptop and the feeling of barely making it through the semester.

The cherry on top of this sour cake came when I finally felt like putting my life back together. One day I woke up too ill to move. I spent 36 hours straight laying in my boyfriend’s bed with barely enough energy to drink water or go to the bathroom. Catching a cold  truly felt like I’d reached my limit. My days that were simply “one of those weeks” slowly seemed daunting and never ending.

Sadly, all of these struggles won’t just magically go away, but they do get better. My cold is slowly getting better and my laptop will soon be repaired. I still may not be 100% confident in my decision to quit my job, but I know I will be eventually. The semester is still full of assignments and I doubt the sense of being overwhelmed will go away anytime soon, but I know I’ll get through it. I’ve made it through all the stressful semesters before, and I know I’ll get through this one too.

Semesters are long and hard, and if you’re also feeling like you’ve hit your edge, I’m right there with you. As you trek through this semester, know you’re not alone. We’re all making it through these long weeks and will make it through together. Remind yourself that you’ve got this and know you’re more than capable!