A college degree wouldn’t be the coveted piece of paper it is today without these midterm weeks that seem impossible to survive.

We have to earn it.

Reaching the stage at graduation can be a bit less exasperating if you abide by the classic cliches you’ve been hearing for years: stay calm and take it one day at a time. Or maybe even one hour at a time.

When you have an interview at noon, a 400 level class at 1 p.m., a midterm you haven’t studied for at 3 p.m., work at 6 p.m. and then an even harder day tomorrow, diving into the fetal position and crying might seem like the best possible strategy.

Try to split things up — you’ve already prepared for your interview, so spend some time studying. After an hour of studying is done, go nail your interview.

Then, take a deep breath and head to your 1 p.m. class. Don’t waste time worrying about your 3 p.m. midterm. Not paying attention in that class will only kick the can down the road and cause more problems next week.

After you take some cohesive notes, take another deep breath. Focus your energy on spending your last hour or so studying for that midterm. Remind yourself that your day of stress is almost over. You only have two responsibilities left until you can head home, order a pizza and watch some Netflix.

Don’t be afraid to look for help if you’re struggling to go it alone. There’s no shame in going to a health center or a counselor if those midnight motivational talks with yourself in the mirror aren’t quite doing the trick.

So when those horrifying midterm weeks do approach, face them with confidence. You got into the University for a reason. The individuals from Admissions thought you had what it takes to make it at the University. Odds are, you do. Just make sure you take those midterm weeks one hour at a time.