“College is supposed to be tough.” I overheard this quote a few weeks ago from Lanny Frattare, my mentor and former voice of the Pittsburgh Pirates, when I walked past his classroom.

He has a great point. College is supposed to be difficult. 

Students aren’t entitled to a degree for just paying the price of admission. Colleges like Waynesburg University are not designed for students just to walk out of a place without a challenge.

Some of those current challenges being dealt with are dealing with a heavy workload, attempting to live a healthy lifestyle through nutrition and sleep, keeping a balance between life and academics, COVID-19 restrictions and especially burnout.

Student burnout is almost inevitable. According to an article written by George Citroner on July 25, 2021 for Healthline.com, student burnout rates went up from 40% to 71% over the course of last school year.

As a Resident Assistant in Willison Hall and dealing with residents on a common basis, one of the most apparent reasons for student burnout is the lack of breaks. I’m not only just mentioning a shortened fall break, but also by not getting breaks from schoolwork during the weekends.

Some students, like myself, have to stay essentially working seven days a week just to stay afloat from drowning in schoolwork in fear of falling behind.

That’s not to make excuses though. 

College gives us an incredible opportunity to embark on one of the greatest journeys of our lives. It provides students with a chance to open up the gates to their future professions, or chase out a childhood dream.

While college and life may be tough. We’re tougher.

In the end, all of the long nights, weeks, months and semesters of grinding away to stay ahead of the curve will pay off. If you don’t give up, you will be proud of your hard work by the time you reach the end of the semester, college career or reach your future profession.

Challenges will not only be thrown at you in college but also in life.

“You, me or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you get hit and keep moving forward,” is a quote from Rocky Balboa that best summarizes the trials of life.

There are going to be obstacles in every facet of life. Despite what you may be dealing with now, it is all about how you can bounce back from the adversities that you’re dealing with. 

As we may be dealing with our own adversities, it is critical to find a way to persevere and push through them. Stay strong mentally, believe in yourself and your abilities.

There is a plethora of incredible and beautiful opportunities in life to be taken advantage of and to appreciate.

While this semester may be challenging for a lot of students, there is still another week left.

Don’t give up now. Now is not the time to start slacking. 

Now is the time to be as focused as ever to finish the semester strong to be proud of yourself for all of the hard work you’ve put in. 

Our work is not done yet, finish strong at the finish line.