We were all babies once.
By this I mean there was once a time in our lives when all we had to do every day was wake up, cry, and have food shoved in our mouths in the form of helicopters. We didn't have to look at our planners and calendars and phones and keep track of everything scheduled for that day, no way no how! Here's a look the daily struggles for people who quite literally (at any given moment) might have to be in three places at the exact same time.
1. Having to pack multiple pairs of clothes.
When you tend to over-commit, (and especially if you're involved in theatrical projects) you find yourself needing up to five entirely different styles of clothing to suit your plans for one day. I'm not talking you change clothes a lot out of habit; I'm taking that to get through this day you need a work uniform, a ballet leotard, a pair of heeled boots, a scuba suit and a pair of lederhosen. And of course it would be right in the middle of an environmental test where you reach in your bag to pull out a pencil and out flies a pair of suspenders and a bra. We've been there, girl. Classic.
2. If you forget a charger, you're screwed.
Oh, yeah. This is a big deal. When you over-commit, your days are looong. I'm talking one thing after the other, constantly on foot, always checking email to make sure you didn't schedule two things at the exact same time kind of long. And when you have this many commitments you live life constantly checking to make sure they're all still happening, because you will not waste your own time. But then it's 2 p.m. and you have seven hours to go before a break... and you're on 20 percent? Oh, God. That red bar is a sign of danger. Without a charger, you will literally be floundering.
3. Unexpected moments of bliss.
There is nothing more energizing than an unexpected message saying that something you had scheduled during the day is called off. Even if it's something you were excited for, sometimes when you have a long enough day, the fact that you have a free 50 minutes to get a smoothie, sit down, or blink your freaking eyeballs is the bliss you've been waiting for all year.
4. Not all items that wander are lost.
Trust me, I am well aware that I lose more items than any regular human should. And that's on me. But let me be clear about one thing: When I lose a water bottle/ID/Birth certificate, it is not entirely my fault! Think about it! When you are an over-committer, you travel to more places per day than a regular human being! And you are often in those places for such a short time because you have somewhere else to be, so it only makes sense that items get left behind. The real problem? Once an item is lost, it takes a huge amount of retracing steps to find it. Honestly, you won't find it. Kiss that water bottle goodbye, friends.
5. Picking your bathroom breaks.
Running from place to place, drinking a lot of water, eating snacks when you can, you quite literally have to pick and choose when you want to sacrifice being timely for class just to get some bathroom relief. Of course, you never think while your in class would be a good time to go to the bathroom, no no! You only remember the moments after class when you have five minutes to get across campus that you've never had to pee more in your whole life.
6. Never lingering.
Have a question after class? Want to partake in the gossip in the moments after the professor walks out the door? Good luck to you! There are some people who are able to spend their sweet, precious time lingering the moments after one activity is done. Then there are those of us who have packed up silently in the last three minutes and when the teacher finishes the lecture, are already out the door. Yep. We know who we are.
7. Awarding yourself "me time."
Most importantly, when you commit yourself to millions of activities, clubs, and places to be, what you need more than anything is time for yourself at the end of the day so you don't feel like you're becoming a slave to your responsibilities. Even if it means just sitting for five minutes midday to self-reflect, write a few things down about how you're feeling, and listen to a song you love, never let your activities control you. Take on as much as you want to take on, but don't sacrifice yourself in the process.
