Never have I ever crashed out because no matter how long I stare at my screen, I can’t exit the rejection letter painfully on display... Never have I ever constantly refreshed my emails with hopes of seeing a status update from my dream schools… Never have I ever spent hours trying to write the perfect essay under 650 words to submit to the Common App... And finally, never have I ever felt the sting of disappointment at the thought of letting down all the people who have supported me in my educational aspirations.

Now I could go on with this game, but let's face it: anytime words like ‘college’, ‘university’, or ‘ivy’ pop into a conversation, your body has that reaction where it feels like you’re ageing by 10 years in 10 seconds. The constant anxiety living in the back of your mind, the dream manifestations of your Ivy League or T20 university and the neverending questions about how the [censored for sensitive ears] you're going to afford this five-to-six-figure education are just a slice of the March Madness pie. Sadly, these feelings of immense worry and frustration are normal.

After all, university is typically where you meet some of your most experienced, well-connected, and influential professors. It's the time when you meet some of the most fascinating people, possibly live your most independent life, and develop during some of those first big adult years.

With that said, it's understandable why the average 17- or 18-year-old would be losing their mind over every notification that pops up on the phone. However, being concerned with your future isn't an excuse to ignore your sanity in the present.

But how do you keep your mind well when your For You Page won’t let you go a day without remembering that a single letter is the deciding factor in how you spend the next 3-5 years of your life?

1. Go Touch Some Grass…

Not to sound harsh or mean, but when was the last time your skin made direct, intentional contact with sunlight? I wouldn't be surprised if your Google Maps had the route to the nearest Chick-fil-A or maybe the library, but a part of me highly doubts that you've Googled “What's the route to the nearest bowling alley?” or “Where is the nearest beach?”

Your application and test scores have been sent in, your recommendation letters are already in the college admissions officers’ hands, and your transcript has been saved in the admissions system. You can hope and you can pray as much as you want, but you're most likely at the point where that's all you can really do. Now, if that's all you want to do, then be my guest, BUT if you're interested in keeping all your hair on your head, then I recommend you remember that you have a life to live, regardless of whether or not you get into Harvard.

So, whether it's a book that's been sitting on your reading list for way too long or a night out that you haven't had in way too long, make time for it and then enjoy it.

Behind that cloud of anxiety is a sky of self-awareness that knows that you've put in the work and made the decisions that you've already made. Your college applications won't be the last stressful thing your mind has to go through, and therefore, you can't let your mental health sink under the weight of the pressure.

2. GO TO BED... I mean it.

You know that whole academic validation aesthetic bouncing around your Pinterest or maybe that cutout of Rory Gilmore on your mental/physical vision board? Yeah, we’re putting that in the drawer for now. Also, this tip doesn’t care if you’ve conditioned your body into 'just needing 4 hours of sleep', nor will it excuse your late-night study session.

Your body and mind equally need rest. And after the stress that QuestBridge (a classic for low-income high school students applying for college) put you through, they deserve the rest.

There are too many articles and studies out there defending the importance of sleep for you not to be getting any of it. Regardless of how hectic your schedule may or may not be at the moment, it is just as essential for you to find time to snooze as it is for you to volunteer at animal shelters, be president of your debate club or…whatever you put down in those ten spaces of the Common App activities section.

3. Stop Fearing Rejection

Now, this tip might sound like someone telling a dog not to bark or a baby not to cry, but it’s important to know that rejection isn’t always a negative thing. Every year, the college you applied to receives tens of thousands of applications from some of the most ambitious teenagers and young adults across the globe.

And with there only ever being a limited number of spots available for newcomers, there is always a possibility of rejection, especially when the competition is equally hungry and ferocious. You worked, you wanted, and you even prayed for this opportunity of a lifetime, but so did someone else. And even though it isn’t always an easy pill to swallow, you have to remember that one of the main questions on an admission officer's mind is, “Can we help this kid achieve great at our school?” not “Can this kid only achieve great things at our school?”

Everyone’s journey is different. While a lot of us have similar destinations, we all begin the race at different starting points, which require different routes to arrive safely. Instead of looking at the word ‘rejection’, imagine the word ‘redirection’.

Having a unique path doesn’t mean that you’re by any means lesser than the person who was able to take the traditional or desirable path to success. Some students excel in a state-of-the-art classroom and others simply require a good teacher who can guide them in the right direction. Whichever one you are, I can assure you that extraordinary opportunities, solid connections, great classrooms, and good teachers aren’t as rare as you think. In fact, oftentimes the best of these things appear in the most unlikely places.

4. Personalise Your Schedule With Non-EC-Related Goals

Now, let’s say, hypothetically, that you’re not always the best positive thinker. Your brain probably craves constant stimulation and loves being focused on something goal-related. There’s a good chance that you’re also one of those people who spent a lot of their time either studying or joining half a dozen clubs to fill out their Common App application. The point is that your mental health is more important than your upcoming test right now, and so how about an activity that focuses on your present and not your future?

After many weekends, spring breaks, and summers spent trying to prove something about yourself, it's time that you do something that prioritises your happiness and sanity. Try journaling; literally, write down anything you feel and be content with the honesty of it. Try watching 5 popular movies that you've never watched or seen the hype behind.

Try a recipe for a favourite meal or a new food that you have always wanted to enjoy. Overall (and not to quote Shakira or risk copyright infringements from Disney), try anything.

If it takes your mind off of college and onto something that can be a much calmer holder of your time and energy without harming you, then go for it and don't think twice.

5. Remember Your Worth and What You Have

I don't know you--clearly--but I can empathise with your experience. When I was 11, I had great ambitions of writing until my imagination decorated entire shelves of Barnes & Noble. When I was 12, I imagined graduating years ahead of my classmates and attending Columbia University (or sometimes Stanford, depending on the daydream). When I was 13, I pictured daily routines where I lived in a country where I didn't have to drive 4 hours and pay hundreds or thousands to get access to the resources that the girls on my TikTok simply went downtown for.

Achieving incredible things is wonderful, and your pure ambition will always be a quality deserving of championship and encouragement. However, you are more than the applause you wish to receive. While I didn't and still haven't entered the likes of Barnes & Noble, at age 11, I got my first piece of professional criticism from a literary agent.

When I was 12, I travelled to New York for the first time and visited some of my favourite stores. When I was 13, I finished six seasons of ABC's 'Once Upon A Time'. No records broken or major accomplishments, but that doesn't mean that the experiences I've had were meaningless.

And with that said, my last piece of advice is to keep calm and live on because if there's $70,000+ available for you to invest in an Ivy League, then there's $70,000+ available for you to invest in yourself.