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Let’s face it. Grad school is no cake walk. It’s a lot of sleepless nights, countless hours in the library, and a ton of triple-shot lattes. That’s why it’s important to keep a sense of humor while working towards your graduate degree and to make sure you’re always having some fun along the way. If you don’t, it’s easy to get caught up in the stress and anxiety that can come along with it.

So here are a few helpful tips to stay sane at grad school.

1. Learn to laugh at yourself.

Learn to laugh at yourself. You’re going to fail—a lot. You’re going to be wrong—a lot. You’re going to forget to start the timer sometimes. And when that happens, just point and laugh at yourself. Failure is all part of the journey. Being a grad student doesn’t mean that you’re the expert with all of the answers already, at least not yet. It means that you’re working to be the expert with all of the answers. So when things don’t go as planned or maybe you’re feeling a little bit like an idiot, just laugh. Then move on to the next seemingly impossible task on the list.

2. Give yourself pep talks.

Sometimes you’re going to need a pick-me-up, and who better to give it to you than yourself? Just crank up that hype music, tell yourself all the reason why you’re awesome and scream “You got this!” into your bathroom mirror.

3. Take a night off every now and then.

Maybe go catch the latest comedy in theaters! A funny movie is always a great way to take a breather and walk away feeling refreshed. Or if you don’t feel like going out, you can always order takeout and watch Hot Rod for a few good laughs at home.

4. Find happiness in grad school gifs.

Find happiness in grad school gifs. What’s life without gifs, right? So take five minutes every now and then to get lost in gifs that really speak to you in the grad school struggle bus language. Trust us. You’re not alone in this fight. And are a good reminder of that.