Summer is the best. As many of us spend three months away from the Lexington scene, this gives us a chance for relaxation, renewal and preparation for the year ahead. Travels are made, friendships are formed and experiences shape our perspectives and knowledge of the world around us. And even as the calendar turns in anticipation of the new school year, we still look forward to the all-night revivals at the hill during O-week (thanks Zach Bryan) and the return to what many of us call our home.

Still, those summer days are behind us, and we are back to our lives as college students.

The start of the school year can mean a lot of things, including meeting new people, reuniting with our friends and taking the time to reconnect with our daily routines that help us stay on task. In this community, we are constantly surrounded by people who bring us up and want the best for us.

But even with all of the positive, happy moments that these things offer us, the fall term still has its ups and downs, no matter how well our lives seem to be going. Especially coming back from a time of warmth, relaxation and downtime, many of us are swept in a rush, and we need to learn to readapt. To balance classes with social life and extracurriculars. To prepare for interviews and grind out applications for internships and jobs. To take care of ourselves and reach out to the family and friends we miss back at home.

And while we’re only two weeks into the year, to me, it’s felt like a month.

The fast pace of the new schedule has proved itself difficult to manage. While we are all learning to handle it, it is no doubt a grind, for some of us, to spend eight to ten hours a day going between classes, the library, and our activities — all while making sure that we are getting enough exercise and rest. Meanwhile, in our heads, we are mentally preparing for the days to come — and thinking about what little steps we need to take to reach our long-term goals. Sometimes, we get so burnt out, it just comes down to trying to make it through the week. When we pile everything on top of each other, eventually it just comes crashing down, and we lose sight of what really matters: our mental well-being.

Without a doubt, September can be one of the toughest months work-wise, and it takes time to readjust to the hustle each day here. But despite this grind, there are still things that we can remember to help ourselves get through each day here. For each day that goes by during the week, there’s a Friday to look forward to — and an entire weekend to spend with friends and unwind from the stress of the fall. And even though the summer scene fades away with the shift to cooler weather, the onset of fall in Lexington will bring its own natural sights and scenes. Foliage in the Shenandoah. Sunsets by the gazebo. Full moons and stars glowing bright in the sky.

So breathe in, breathe out. Fall is back, and so are we.