All that is left to do this semester is finals, so with most grades basically set in stone we try to convince ourselves the work is over. However, with projects, essays and studying still left to do, we should not start celebrating quite yet. 

Heading into the weekend, it is easy to think we will accomplish everything we need to without a problem and still have time to celebrate the end of the semester in every possible way. While it is great to be optimistic, reality does not shift just because we are optimistic. If you do not make the commitment now and allot the appropriate amount of time to complete even the most simple task, it will not get done. 

You will wake up Monday morning sick to your stomach, thinking of all the things you need to review before your final, which starts in 15 minutes. If people use their time wisely, this can be avoided. Setting realistic expectations can sometimes seem unambitious or boring, but it does not have to be.

After all, it is an essential skill for people to have so they can lead healthy and happy lives. It can help those who know how to use it accomplish more than they would otherwise. A person’s priorities can even be revealed through using this tool. 

Putting it into practice is fairly simple. Instead of thinking that you will somehow magically absorb all the information in your textbook by pulling an all-nighter Sunday night, pace yourself. Read a little tonight before going out and maybe some more on Saturday as well. Being realistic does not mean eliminating fun; it just means realizing how much you can do in a day and planning accordingly. 

This includes weighing out just how much sleep you actually need and realizing when it is time to take a break from working hard. Sometimes, this can even mean accepting the fact that with a bunch of big projects coming due, something is going to get neglected.  

This is the place where sorting out your priorities can mean the difference between being successful and failing. Should you study for chemistry all night and only spend a half hour the next day looking at English? Should you focus all your effort on that one project that might make or break your grade in one class when it means neglecting other classes you are unsure about?

There is no right answer that fits all, which is why you have to find out which choice is best for you. In every class there is always that one person who is so put together and confident they will get A’s in everything because that is just the way they are. 

To those people: Congratulations, your drive and commitment are truly inspirational, and we do not know how you do it. To the rest of us out there: We need to remember most people struggle during this time. It is hard. Sickness is going around and, combined with stress, it may feel like everything piling up is just too much. 

If you are realistic and make the time to do what you need to do to get through the rest of this semester, it will almost certainly pay off. Most importantly, be proud of yourself, because you are working toward creating a brighter future, and having a few challenges along the way does not change that.