Everyone has had a time in their life (some of us still struggle with it) where they feel completely stressed out. Whether it be with school, work, extracurricular activities or all of the above. Most people have trouble with saying the word no. Regardless, there can be numerous reasons for saying not saying no. It may be because of serious FOMO or because they don’t like letting people down, but it can lead to being seriously overcommitted.
Being overcommitted is an epidemic ravaging college campuses. We all want to be involved in as many aspects of life as possible while still being successful. It is like the old adage we have all heard; in college, you can only pick two out of enough sleep, good grades, and a social life. As much as we like to pretend this is not the case, sadly it is. And if you are someone (like myself) who overcommits, then you may be only getting one of the three.
Sleep. You can throw getting a full 8 hours out the window when you have a million projects to do. Every club, class, honorary, sorority/fraternity and work assignment are due on the same day. Naturally every waking minute of our time is going to be going to finishing these astronomically important projects. Not to mention the meetings and classes you must attend to turn in these projects. When the day is all over, there is only about a 4-hour window where you are able to sleep; never a good thing.
Good grades. What every college student strives for, the elusive 4.0. On top of everything else occurring simultaneously in your life, you are taking 18 of the hardest credits you will ever take. Chemistry, Biology, French, and Statistics all in one semester was a bad idea, but you convinced yourself you could do it (because saying no to such a strenuous class load didn’t even cross your mind)! Trying to get an A in any of these classes is difficult, let alone, all at once. Preparing for class and tests takes up any free time you may have somehow found. Good luck not pulling our hair out when finals come around.
Social life. One of the best aspects of college is the social atmosphere. You are exposed to so many different types of people you would never have met before. Differing viewpoints and backgrounds all come together to help shape who we become. Unfortunately, if we have overcommitted ourselves with work, school and other obligations, we may never have a chance to meet these people. Whether it be a night downtown or a small gathering of friends, meeting new people and spending time with old acquaintances is part of what makes college so special.
So, if you start to feel overwhelmed, just remember that almost everyone has been through the same thing. We are always here to help and offer advice on how to balance everything on your overly full plate. Take all of your responsibilities seriously, but don’t forget to go out and make memories you could never make anywhere else. And if you have bitten off more than you can chew, remember that the next time someone asks you to add something else to your to-do list. It is okay to say to things and it is okay not be involved in everything.
