There is a pervasive myth here at Emory University (and at Oxford College in particular), but also out there in the big, bad, wide world, that more is better. That quantity equals quality.

I’m going to assume you’ve heard the saying, “jack of all trades, master of none”? Plenty of us have wanted to be that jack at one point in time. Plenty of us still do. For many, it’s a myth that’s fostered in our earliest years, that the more involved we are and the longer our resume, the more likely we are to land that big job or fantastic scholarship down the road.

In reality, moderation is the key.

When I was in high school, I was involved in a myriad of activities; definitely more than I can count on one hand. Many of these I genuinely loved doing, (media club, battle of the books, forensics, etc.) but some often felt like more trouble than they were worth. And, as the school year progressed, even the things that I enjoyed bore more like burdens as I felt the weight press in on me from all different sides.

Unfortunately, when I moved on to college, that drive to be involved to the nth degree didn’t disappear. If anything, it intensified. Especially at a place like Oxford College, where opportunities for leadership and involvement are overabundant, it was more than easy to slip into old routines. During the involvement fair I went on a mad dash to get my name on all sorts of mailing lists, even for clubs that I knew I would likely have no interest in. It was college, after all. You’re supposed to try new things in college, right?

Then, once the opportunity arose to interview for leadership positions in those same clubs, I threw my hat into the ring again. Why not? I mean, what freshman doesn’t want a vice presidency or board seat on their resume, especially when presidencies and chairmanships would be opening up the very next year.

This mentality nearly sunk me my freshman year of college. I wasn’t prepared for the stress of juggling so many things at once and not having the immediate support of my family physically present to even things out. I quickly found myself struggling late into the night to not only finish homework, but to close out paperwork X, Y, and Z for clubs X, Y, and Z.

Gradually, I stopped doing the things that I enjoyed most. I stopped following my favorite sports teams. I stopped reading for pleasure. Even just watching a TV show became a rare break as I tried to make my cramped schedule work in my favor.

By the time Christmas rolled around, I had had enough and drastically reduced my involvement going into my second semester of my freshman year. While it might seem obvious from the outside looking in, I was almost instantaneously happier and healthier. I got sleep -- if not enough, at least more than I had been getting. I managed to eat breakfast in the mornings again. And I even found time to do those leisure activities that I most enjoyed.

As a tour guide, I’m often asked by parents and students what is my most important piece of advice for freshman entering college. This is my answer: more isn’t always more. Less is more.

Now, that’s not to say that one should totally forsake the opportunities that bubble to the surface of life. That would be foolhardy. But one must also know their limitations. Draw that line and don’t let yourself get over involved.

I know, it’s easier said than done but, by focusing narrowly on a few things you truly enjoy, you become that much more of an asset to those around you than if you were to overburden yourself with countless activities that you do not enjoy solely for the sake of being involved.

My advice: be a master of some trades and a jack of none.