08.

I find it rather unfair that a busy schedule + many responsibilities/obligations leads to high levels of stress, which in turn lower the effectiveness of your immune system which increases the likelihood of getting sick, which causes intense levels of stress and even less time to get everything done which lowers your immune system further, and so on until you're a coffee-chugging zombie just barely dragging yourself from bed, to school, to work, and back to bed again.

I mean, really.

Stress should have good side effects. It shouldn't make you fat or anorexic, make it harder for you to sleep, or increase your risk of developing heart disease and mental disorder.

There's the elusive concept of "eustress," which is supposed to enhance performance and sharpen response to the stressor... but how often does that really occur?

I guess stress kind of has to be a downward spiral so you can't rely entirely on yourself - you need other people to help you out sometimes. In that case, I'm thankful for it. And even more thankful for those people who have been there for me lately while I'm dangerously close to losing my mind out of pure exhaustion.

I'm lucky.