Dear college students who have no free time,

You go to all your classes and absolutely do not skip unless you are dying. Then, you immerse yourself in all your student organizations and clubs.

Afterwards, you spend what seems like light years doing homework and studying. You also work at your part-time job after class and on the weekends. Somehow, you still find time to volunteer on top of all of this. You could NOT live without your planner, which could give anyone a headache just by looking at it. I am one of you—a student who is drowning in all the things they have on their to-do list.

You envy your friends who just binge-watched a whole Netflix series, and wonder where in the world they got the time to do that. It astonishes you that many college students even have time to go to the gym regularly. Often, you have to miss out on fun things because you are just too busy.

When you finally do have time to yourself, all you want to do is just chill with a good book and some ice cream. Then you remember you have that project due at midnight.

I just wanted to let you know that you’re doing great sweetie.

All of your hard work will pay off one day. Even though it seems like you are drowning in school work and life in general, you will get through it. Yeah, watching Netflix is great (and I admit I have spent way too many hours doing that as well), but your memories will be made away from the screen.

Although, it is very easy to be envious of your friends who have a lot more free-time on their hands. The truth is that some people just have way more on their plates. Some classes will be more time-consuming than others, and sometimes life will just throw crazy things at you. Don’t worry though, your chances to relax will come, even if it is less often than others.

Sometimes you may have to cut certain things out of your schedule, and there is nothing wrong with that. If you need to drop one of the many activities you are involved in, or even just need a day to yourself, go for it. Continuing to work hard is great and rewarding, but overworking yourself can have many negative effects on your physical and mental health.

Every single person needs at least some time to themselves. Some people even need more time to recharge than others. Your friends, your family, and your colleagues should be understanding of your needs.

Mental health issues need to be taken seriously, as they can have a tremendous effect on your life. Taking care of yourself is super important and should not be overlooked.

So, take some time out of your busy day to watch that show, read that book, or take that nap. There is absolutely no shame in doing something just for yourself. Your physical and mental health will thank you.

Sincerely,

Your fellow stressed-out college student