Samantha Klein, Staff

October is slowly transforming into November, the leaves changing color, the air growing colder. As midterms find themselves coming to end, there becomes this point in the semester where motivation finds itself at an all-time low, the earlier darkness of the night sky a reflection of how many students’ feel as the days progress.  There are some people who don’t suffer from this constant pressure or lack of drive, but it’s important we must not compare ourselves to those who appear the strongest, for everyone is dealing with something internally, behind closed doors.

      Everyone begins holding an empty glass. As our days continue and both trials and tribulations create temporary stop signs in its progression, our glasses start to slowly fill up with water. Eventually, through continuous daily and long-term adversity, the glass starts to grow in weight, no longer a mere empty glass. Some people might have glasses barely full, others halfway, some overflowing. Yet no matter the amount of water in your cup, it’s okay to set it down, even if someone with a glass fuller than yours is continuing to hold it up; for if your glass feels heavy, forcing your arm to go numb and feel stuck the more time goes by, it is illogical to continue holding it.

      Your glass is  your mental health. Just because you think someone might be going through more than you are- taking more challenging classes,  swamped with more commitments and assignments, doesn’t mean the weight of your own anxiety should be diminished. Everyone has their own breaking point, the point in which the weight on your shoulders feels too heavy and even the simplest tasks feel impossible. In these moments, it’s imperative to be kind to ourselves. For even if someone else’s glass is fuller, if yours is too heavy for you, you’re only hurting yourself by continuing to hold it.

      As the seasons continue to change and the semester continues to unfold, treat yourself with the same kindness you would to other people, for you too are human. When you overwork yourself, compare your struggles with those of others, or speak down to yourself, consider whether you would allow yourself to treat others in this same way. You deserve love and you deserve to be the one to give yourself this love. You deserve to take care of yourself in a way where you set your glass down, despite pride or the sentiments of others. There will come a time where you find ways to allow this glass to not fill as quickly or with as much water, but until then, I hope you choose to be kind- to your mind, your body, your spirit. Care for yourself this fall while still trying your best; relax, take a deep breath, and know this will always be enough.