If there is one thing about me that you will never have to question, it is my love for pumpkin spice. When I see the first leaf change colors and fall off the tree, you can catch me in the kitchen with a couple of loaves of pumpkin bread in the oven.

There is just something about fall that gives you butterflies on the inside. I love sitting around a fire all cozied in an oversized sweatshirt. The colors in fall, the way the air smells, football games, and the fair; I love it all.

But also fall brings a little bit of stress for some struggling college students.

I live in South Mississippi, so we obviously don’t get much cool weather down here. We typically don’t get the first real feeling of fall until October and then it doesn’t last but for just a few weeks. So by the time we get to experience the fall weather, you see the word “Midterms” popping up quite a good bit.

I mean don’t get me wrong, I actually do enjoy school and the classes I take; but those midterms are a whole different story. Some see midterms/finals as the end of an era, and others like me see it as a make it or break it kind of deal. Truly I do try my hardest in all of my classes, but let’s be honest, haven’t we all gotten a little busy and might have forgotten to study for the major lab exam? Seriously who would rather be studying than going out with your friends?

But let me tell you one thing. It does not matter if you’re the kid that see’s midterms as the end of an era or if you’re the make it or break it kid like myself; you are going to get stressed out during midterms. It’s only natural.

I feel like midterm and finals weeks are probably the weeks that the campus coffee shops experience like some intense Black Friday sales. I literally saw a girl about throw a punch over another girl getting the last blueberry muffin (they’re good but not that good, homegirl). People go psycho during midterm and finals week. My first semester in college I had like a complete nervous breakdown after my first midterm grade, I legitimately cried at 3 in the morning in the lobby of my dorm while I attempted to study for Music Appreciation (btw. people who say Music Appreciation is easier as an online class, are a bunch of dang liars).

On the occasion you will run into a couple of students who are pretty calm and if you ask them why, they will tell you that they dropped their class last week because there was absolutely no way they were going to pass. (Been there, done that, and bought the t-shirt).

But let me give you some of my semi-wise words. DO NOT PARTY THE WEEKS OF MIDTERMS AND FINALS. That night I had the nervous breakdown over Music Appreciation, I witnessed 2 girls come in sloppy drunk falling all over the place and my inner maternal instincts just wondered how the heck they were gonna be able to get up and take a test in the morning. Well to say the least one of the girls was taking the same test as me and she came running in about 5 minutes late, looking like something that had crawled out of a swamp and she fell asleep during the test (hope ladies night at the bar was worth retaking a class).

But in all seriousness, do try to buckle down and study. Midterms have a way of sneaking up on you and catching you off guard so you are stuck cramming the week before. If you would care for a piece of my advice, invest in a day planner. I know, I know, who wants to be the kid whipping out their color coded day planner in the middle of class? But I would rather be that kid, than the one whipping out referral slip to their teacher so they can drop the class. Get you a day planner and fill that crap out. WRITE DOWN THE WEEK OF MIDTERMS AND FINALS AND THE WEEK BEFORE SO YOU CAN START STUDYING! You will feel so much more prepared if you do this.

Most importantly don’t allow yourself to become overly stressed. It is only a test and if you do have to retake a class, oh well. Odds are most people have had to retake a class. I know I have done it twice! We are young and we are going to make mistakes. But do try to study and do your best, but don’t forget to make time to have a life too. Go to a football game. Go to the fair and eat your weight in corndogs and fried oreos. Go out on a date. But don’t forget the reason you’re at college. You’re there to get that degree and you won’t get it by partying every night.

“C’s get degree’s my dears!”