I told myself I’d be more intentional and avoid uncertainty this semester. I didn’t want to take any difficult elective classes or spend time with people I didn’t want. This semester would be about everything I knew I could accomplish.

Unfortunately, transitioning from a summer of free time and some much-needed rest and relaxation was a harder transition than I realized. I was really out of my groove; I took a break mentally and it was much more difficult to get reacclimated into academia. I was feeling all types of stressors and overwhelming things that really made it harder to enjoy class. I was neglecting to go to bed on time, I wasn’t eating at the right times of the day and these things contributed to brain fog and fatigue. Overall, I wasn’t engaging in class material that would allow me to be even more successful this semester.

I realized I was kind of going against the goals I had set for myself. I was contributing to my own self-sabotage by not being more intentional with my own time and acknowledging what was happening around me. Ultimately, I was motivated to make my appointment and go and meet with a mental health professional.

Therapy is a loaded subject, trust me, I know. Personally, I was reluctant to start because I had fears of bringing up old traumas or situations I hadn’t necessarily gotten over, just pushed down. But I knew in my final year of college, I wanted to get everything out of campus that I could.

I’ve been going to therapy every other week now. I can positively say that it’s made me feel more productive and accomplished. I’ve felt more engaged and insistent on participating in class because my therapist and I have come up with ways to keep me on a disciplined routine.

Therapy, I have learned, is more than just showing up and zoning out like one might for their everyday classes. It’s about building structure within your own life, practicing and embedding healthy mind habits. Therapy has reminded me to be intentional with my time. Through strategies like building a planner or even just setting some time aside to visit the library, my therapist and I have built this success plan for me.

Sometimes it’s not enough to just feel obligated to go to class. We all go because we have to, but what can we do to ensure we all want to? It’s not uncommon to have five classes a week and only make it to two. But suppressing your emotions and dealing with unresolved issues alone only contributes to the worsening of senioritis. I am speaking from experience.

In your final year of college, you should be rejoicing and experiencing some smooth sailing. Don’t be a prisoner in your own mind and allow mental health issues, especially senioritis, to come at the expense of your schooling. Therapy is a necessary way to battle senioritis. We’ve all worked so hard, don’t fail yourself now.

Blair Bernard is a 21-year-old theatre major from Lafayette, La.