You know that feeling you get when you should be doing something else but you just can’t figure out what it is? Yep, that’s uni for a lot of us.

It always feels like we should be doing so much more than we are. Why do we spend our free time hanging out with our friends when we should be applying for internships? Why do we sit on the couch eating peanut butter when we should be writing our debut novel? Why aren’t we Prime Minister already?

The pressure is enormous, but it’s more than likely in your head. Here’s why you should take it easy on yourself and appreciate your achievements for what they are.

You’re Already Doing So Much

Just because you’re not the President of the SRC or raking in straight HDs, doesn’t mean you’re not achieving anything. Take a step back and have a look at what you are doing: passing all of your subjects, making it to class, juggling your part-time job with uni, keeping up an active social life. Even all that is enough to give a regular person headspins. Don’t feel like you have to go above and beyond that.

Don’t Half-Ass Things

It was Ron Swanson who said, “Never half-ass two things. Whole-ass one thing.” And he was right. If you try to do a million things at once, you’ll never do a great job. It’s impossible. Focusing on one or two things means you can do them well. That looks way more impressive than ten unfinished projects.

Burn Out Is Real

You don’t want to get to the end of each semester feeling completely drained. Taking on a whole bunch of extra-curricular stuff can lead to exhaustion and feeling fed up with the whole ride.

Take it easy. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. You want to get to graduation feeling ready to tackle the world.

No One Cares

And I mean this in the best way possible. No one cares that you haven’t ticked off all the imaginary goals you set for yourself. In all likelihood, they’re thinking you’re doing an amazing job already. And if they tell you, believe them.

There’s So Much More Ahead

So uni stresses you out and you want to get the hell out of there. That’s totally normal.

Real life will hold so much more for you to be able to sink your teeth into. It’s not the competitive bubble that uni can feel like sometimes.

So when all this stress is getting you down, remember that shiny light at the end.

(Lead image: Dear White People/Netflix)