Three weeks into the semester, stress is starting to run high for most students as exams begin and projects are assigned. Usually the days don’t seem long enough.With school in full force, students should turn to prayer for some guidance and relief.Just 25.4 percent of college juniors frequently attend religious services, and 37.5 percent never attend religious services, a UCLA Higher Education Research study revealed in February.The statistics are a bit more encouraging for freshmen. About 44 percent say they frequently attend religious services, and 20 percent say they never attend. The study is based on responses from 14,527 students from 136 colleges and universities nationwide.Students are always complaining: ‘I have three exams in one day,’ ‘I keep fighting with my friends,’ ‘I just got dumped.’ But I wonder how many students actually turn to prayer for comfort and guidance. Judging by the UCLA study, not enough.So many people could be living happier lives if they gave prayer a chance. It’s stupid not to pray. Though I understand the counterargument.How can natural disasters like hurricanes and gruesome diseases like cancer exist if there’s a higher being watching over us? But rarely do people appreciate the encouraging side of life — those who work the relief portion of hurricane recovery and those who devote their lives to fighting cancer.How can prayer benefit people when no one upstairs talks back — or, worse, if the prayer isn’t answered? But imagine if you got everything you asked for in prayer. People would never learn how to build character and deal with reality.I can’t imagine living without a prayer life to fall back on constantly. There’s just too much to deal with to not depend on prayer.So as school heats up, I challenge students to pray. You’ll feel less stress and be in a better mood more often.If you give prayer a chance, you’ll likely start attending religious services.It will keep getting better from there. And it could turn out to be the best decision of your life.—-contact Kyle Whitfield at [email protected]