It’s about this time of year when I start feeling really bad for myself.

I’m not usually one for self pity, but there is something about the end of semester that makes me want to pull my hair out. I’m sure most students could agree: Being a student while an enticing summer beckons in bird’s-eye view is difficult.

Students who go away to college do not have the best reputation. Often times, especially in movies or TV shows, students are portrayed as pizza-eating, beer-guzzling, lazy kids.

There is some truth to that, but more likely than not, students have a full plate of anything but pizza. Classes alone seem designed to drive even the most sane person crazy.

What I am trying to get at is that the life of a college student is tough. The transition between adolescence and adulthood proves laborious and lengthy. Looking at this time in life at length reveals some undesirable but inevitable conclusions.

To begin with, college living arrangements are shaky at best. If you live on or close to campus, you probably either live in the dorms, an apartment or a house. Living in a dorm is a transition state for most.

An apartment could be a temporary place, offering a roof over your head until you return back to the nest of your “real home.” Even at your real home, you may feel displaced, like you don’t belong.

Next, predictably, are classes. I’ve had some seemingly unending semesters, but this one surely takes the cake. The hazy time around the shootings (comprised of the unexpected week off) followed by spring break put most students through a time warp.

Coming back fresh-faced from break, students found, to their horror, they’d be playing catch-up the rest of the semester. Syllabuses condensed, assignments shuffled around and an extra week in May for finals all contribute to a feeling of mass confusion around campus.

Another issue students are forced to deal with coincides beautifully with the college student stereotype. We are all broke. I’m going to venture to say most college-aged students aren’t financially comfortable.

Thus, many of us are forced to squeeze in work whenever possible.

Yes, this means mornings before class, nights after class and weekends.

“Working on weekends is really stressful for me because I have to plan my social life around not only school, but work too,” said Lauren Bickel, a junior textiles, apparel, and merchandising major. “Weekends are usually a time to relax, and instead, I find my weekends are dedicated to making ends meet.”

Which brings me to my next point. Having a social life while being pulled in 20 different directions by various obligations is nearly impossible. What time is left for friends and significant others is not much.

Not to mention, spending free time doing anything other than homework or working may leave you feeling anxious and guilty because you know there are things to get done, and they won’t do themselves.

In essence, the life of a college student entails more than weekend drink-a-thons. Trying to get an education while staying afloat financially could leave people feeling frazzled and stressed.

It’s important to realize that much of life will be this busy, so it’s time to embrace it and make it your own.