Between being a student, server at Chili’s, vice president for one organization on campus, as well as president for a brand new organization, life can be difficult and confusing at times. Don’t get me wrong, I love what I do both off and on campus, but I can often get wrapped up in the thought that I can’t do it all and I am not really sure how to do it all. I am positive that a lot of students would agree with me that college is a very confusing period in life.

We once “had it all figured out.” We were going to graduate from high school, get that degree from college and land that dream job. For me, I was going to go into marketing at Washburn University and land a business-type job and make some serious dough. Two years into college, my life has taken me in a completely different direction. I have switched my major three times and have taken different career paths due to the tough job market today. When we have moments that were never meant to happen that take us in a different direction, I’m sure that most people feel like giving up. It’s okay, I have been there myself.

Not that long ago, I received a text from my older brother, saying, “It’s not how much you do that defines you, it’s how you handle it.” If you’re wondering what you’re doing with your life in college, don’t ever give up. Life gives us so many tribulations, but they’re not meant to bring us down. They’re meant to help us understand the concept of struggling and learn how to overcome it.

The future is a very scary place. We are scared of it because we are content with life now or we are afraid of disappointment. In reality, there is no reason to be anxious, because struggles are only going to make you better once you reach your goals.

So, what are you doing? You are living life as it is, knowing that what happens right now will only benefit you tomorrow. Why aren’t you getting up and doing what you always wanted to do?

Here’s the secret to live not a great life, but a good one: Improve yourself every day. Tell yourself that by tomorrow your work will be perfection. You may not have reached your goals, but you at least tried. And that’s the best thing you could ever do.

Hopefully, this encouragement and understanding on how to be a better student will benefit you by encouraging you to set goals for yourself. Now that the encouragement is set in stone, let’s get to learning something new every day that will improve ourselves.