I once took a heavy course load over the summer, including a particularly grueling CS course, and spent so much time working on everything for it, remaining at my desk constantly, figuring out everything- mid-semester, in fact, DURING the large class midterm in which we were required to pull one of the previous Labs we'd completed abd then recode it without any notes or internet- I began to feel a pain in my should.

The pain expanded to my chest a few hours later.

Then I went to the doctor's office, where they told me I would be best going to the Emergency room, as their area to check for whatever was wrong with me was closed for the night already.

Smartass that I am, and certain that this was nothing, I waited until the next morning to return to that same office, whereupon they informed me that I'd been lied to, they didn't have the equipment to perform the test AT ALL, abd I would have to go to the emergency room if I wanted to be absolutely certain of my thought that there was really NOTHING wrong with me. I was busy anyway, the next Lab was due in less than a week.

I was almost feeling better, when, on the way home, with my wife driving the car, I had the sudden rush of thought that I MUST go to the emergency room. I did.

I had a blood clot in my lung, it had formed in my bad leg, likely, exacerbated by poor nutrition and complete lack of exercise over the course of five weeks.

If I had not gone to the emergency room, it is highly likely that death or permenant disability would have followed another night of waiting.

So anytime I get particularly discouraged about my grades or situation, I just think to myself, "Well, then I suppose I'll just have to eat only little Caesar's pizza and work on this for five weeks, and I'll either succeed, die, or be unable to properly perceive the consequences of my actions anymore. :) :D

(I'm primarily joking!)

But it sure did make me take a step back and consider the long view. :)