At this point, we are three months into the new school year and I can’t deny the fact that I desperately need a break. Since arriving way back in August, I feel like I’ve been here for at least ten years now because I’ve had to begin living by the “just make it through the day” mentality, as I’ve been so busy. Just in the past three weeks alone I’ve had six tests, two quizzes and two projects. To say my mind is fried is an understatement, and to say I’m enjoying college life right now is an exaggeration. I’m burnt out and I need a nap.
And I know I’m not the only one who feels this way as I see a few common features amongst all the students: dark circles, worry lines and cup of coffee always in hand. I think a lot of the exhaustion we feel right now is because we have finally hit the reality of college not being a fun new adventure anymore, but rather a cycle of demanding classes and schedules. What was so new and exciting in August is now becoming a blissful memory as we are hit by the reality of having to work harder than we ever have in our lives. Frankly I think we’re all just tired of living every day with naps being the longest sleep we get, studying for hours to bring our tests grades up only one point and ultimately feeling so tired on the weekends that we have no more “me time."
Even now as I’m writing this, this is probably the only time I’ve had to myself to actually think, not study, memorize or read in weeks and I have to say I need more time for this. However, I still do think having a strict school schedule has a long term positive effect on emotional and intellectual health and development. It’s just my schedule has been so focused on school, it’s like I’ve lost a little bit of myself. I feel like we’re all struggling with this feeling in some way right now too, being fresh off midterms and about to enter the pre-Thanksgiving crunch. It’s this weird feeling of going so long pushing so hard that once you enter a gap phase, or a slight break, you wonder who you’ve become when you don’t have to push anymore.
Maybe all of us despondent college students should take a collective spiritual journey into the mountains and search for ourselves all over again. Or maybe, if your anything like me, we need to learn how to give ourselves breaks that aren’t mindless. Breaks that require us to go and do something for ourselves, not to lose ourselves in front of a screen. Because ultimately, “me time” isn’t that fulfilling if it’s spent thoughtlessly binging Netflix. We should allow ourselves to do the little things we’ve wanted to do, like call our best friend, try out that new restaurant, or even something small like painting our nails. Sure, a big break would be fantastic (hey Thanksgiving), but in the long run the little ones can build up too, it’s just whether we allow ourselves to stop pushing so hard to do so many things all at once. The honeymoon phase of college is over, so it’s time to face reality, but that doesn’t mean it must be harsh.
