By Kennedi McCoy, Staff Writer

Choosing friends and companions: 

Choosing good friends and companions can be hard, especially in college because of the hectic environment. But having a good solid friend is something worth finding in college. When you are choosing your friends and developing relationships with people, there are a few things you should make sure of:

1. Be sure you are comfortable around that person. You should feel like you can be completely yourself. If you don’t feel like you can be yourself, I recommend brainstorming why you don’t feel like you can. The best friendships that last the longest and feel the healthiest are the ones where you don’t have to pretend.

2. Can you trust them? That’s another important thing to think about. Trust is an important thing to have in any relationship. It sets the foundation for everything. If you don’t have trust you don’t have anything.

3. Are they making you better when you’re with them? Do you feel yourself growing and changing in good ways? If your friend or partner is not helping you grow and is not bettering you, that’s not good. A good friend will encourage you to work hard and will not ask you to skip homework and hang out with them. A good friend and/or partner will help you grow in ways you aren’t able to alone.

Getting out of that lazy low period in the semester:

There comes a time every semester when giving up seems easier and less of a big deal—when skipping your class and napping goes from once every blue moon to a weekly thing. You may even find that turning things in late or not doing them all is not a big deal anymore because it has become a daily thing. Every college student gets in this place sometimes where motivation is gone, and you just don’t have the energy to work hard anymore. 

When this feeling arises, I recommend first remembering why you are here at college: to pursue a career, to get an education and to make your parents, family and friends proud. Also, don’t forget that you are not incapable of achieving these goals and dreams. Remember: you are a smart and hardworking person. Remember how good it feels to get an A on a paper you worked hard on or a test you studied for. Giving up is not believing in yourself. Turn that negative mindset around and believe in yourself because of all that you have done, can do, and will do. And last but certainly not least, pray to let God take over; tell him your struggles, ask him for guidance, and then stress no more.