Any college student knows how difficult it is to balance everything going on in our lives. There are so many things going on all the time and it is hard to figure out where everything fits.

The worst feeling is when I have to put something or someone that means a lot to me on the back burner because of school work. There are some weeks when it all gets so overwhelming, but finding that balance is possible.

Of course, school is important to me and I try to put in as much time as possible in order to make good grades. However, my social life and my friendships hold more importance. I think the first step in finding a good balance is recognizing that fact. It is okay to put your social life above other serious things such as school and work sometimes.

The stress that college brings can be brutal. The best way to cope with that is to remind ourselves that we are not alone in that stress, and that’s where we have let our friends and social life come in. I think that without maintaining these relationships, we would get too lost in the negative things that life can bring. Relive that stress through conversations with like-minded people, and we will bring ourselves back to the center of everything.

I realize all of this is a little easier said than done.

Sometimes I feel like we don’t even realize we need this balance until all the stress and work builds up.

The most important thing to remember is that it is okay to pull back on something that is causing loads of stress, even if it is something as important as school work. A good balance will create a clear head space and a little more room to breathe in the midst of all the chaos.