This one quotation sums up college in seven words: “Good grades, sleep, social life: Pick two.”

As a fifth-year senior, I know how the always changing scale of responsibilities can be a constant and never-ending struggle.

When I came to college as a 17-year-old full-time post secondary student, I felt no connection to my high school or anyone in it. My twin sister and I had a falling out with our group of friends and I felt like I had lost what made going to school worthwhile. So when I came to this school, along with my twin, I never felt like I was missing out on anything that happened in high school. I didn’t care about missing overrated prom nights and pep rallies.

I no longer had any close friends, so my social life was non-existent. I only had to worry about getting enough sleep and earning good grades. I was most concerned about keeping my grades up because I was paying my own way through college by working 30 or more hours a week and I was the only one responsible for my actions.

Then I started meeting new people. And I’m not proud to say it was reflected in my grades. I was in a statistics class my second semester and I chose to skip it to spend time with friends. I was lost in the class and I already felt helpless so I figured it wouldn’t do much damage to not go at all. Once I focused on my social life, the delicate balance was thrown off and my grade, a solid D, proved it. I remember the good days when I had time to play card games with my new friends in between classes.

As a freshman, I thought I knew what being tired felt like. My coffee consumption skyrocketed and I would down Starbucks frappuccinos thinking they’d actually wake me up. Once junior year came around, I learned what tired really was. I mean the kind of tired that makes you zone out during class and walk out 50 minutes later wondering what just happened. It’s like being in a constant state of not caring, jumbling up your sentences, feeling confused about everything, and wanting nothing more than a pillow under your face – or a table. Anything would do at that point really.

And if you want to know how to add working, maintaining relationships, or family time into that equation, I still have not come up with the solution.