When Did We Grow Up? And How Do We Make it Stop?

Looking at my planner for this week made me want to pull the curtains shut, crawl into bed, pull the covers over my head and never move. The overwhelming amount of work I had to do was almost enough to make me cry. Multiple exams, quizzes, papers, readings; I probably spent more time in the library this week than in my own room. I’m sure the vast majority are experiencing the same crushing work load coupled with the stressful anxiety that comes along with it. I woke up the other morning and realized that I was working, working, working to get this finished and that finished  so then I would be…finished? No. I realized that I would not be finished because next week the cycle starts all over; exams, quizzes, papers, reading, constantly working to finish this and finish that. When I flip through my planner, the next three weeks will surely be absolutely hellish, and then, the next week is completely blank, not a mark on my planner page. I rejoiced when I first saw the free week but then I realized that the week after that would be finals week. I had rejoiced too soon.   I laid in my bed that morning trying to persuade my brain to convince my feet to get out out of bed  when I found myself wondering, “Is this life?” Is that what being a grown up means, trying to accomplish as much as possible just be back at square one by the following Monday?  Is that what we have to look forward to?  When I thought this I felt as though I should  be frustrated or even more stressed, but I wasn’t. In fact, I felt ready to take on the challenge. And maybe every week would be completely book and totally stressful but maybe that’s just a part of growing up. And maybe it will be hard and stressful and we’ll dread our lives now but it will all be worth it in the end, or so I’ve heard.