When was the last time you noticed the morning breeze on your way to class? Are you engaged in the world around you, or are you too occupied with the constant thoughts that run through your head? On that walk to class, are you appreciating the birds chirping and the leaves changing, or are you too focused on the stress of your exams and assignments? What about when you're driving down the road? Are you able to take everything in, or are you going through the perpetual to-do list that is permanently implanted in your brain? Does it ever stop? Do things ever slow down? The answer is no.
Unfortunately, the world around you never stops spinning, even if you need a break. Things will always be happening and there will always be something that you need to do. When you've finally rotated through exams in all five of your classes, the cycle starts right back up again before you even get a chance to breathe. You're constantly studying, getting your chores done, and doing mindless activities just because they need to be done.
Amongst our insanely busy schedules, we often forget to take even a moment for ourselves. It might sound cliche, but taking time for yourself is absolutely crucial. In fact, it should be added to your to-do list.
Personally, I've been going non-stop for a month now, and the stress only continues to build. It's come to the point where I barely get the opportunity to feel accomplished, because I'm already onto the next obligation. As you can imagine, this lifestyle is exhausting. I've found that the cure to all of this is scheduling time for yourself, and then looking forward to it.
Don't get me wrong, I pride myself on being a conscientious, hard-working student. In fact, being organized and always on top of my commitments is definitely my strongest attribute. However, I'm not going to kill myself just to get ahead.
Whether small or big, everyone deserves to do things that make them feel relaxed, peaceful, and just plain happy. Take some time at the end of your night to sit back and watch your guilty pleasure show on Netflix, and pat yourself on the back for what you did accomplish that day. And, in the grander scheme of things, plan something in advance that you can look forward to. This will give you a reason to accomplish all that you can, while knowing something that makes you happy is approaching.
Being busy is a blessing, not a curse, however we must remember to schedule ourselves into this chaos.