Every college student has hit that point where they’re saying “Yeah, this isn’t for me. I’m going to be a carnie. Maybe I could be a stripper. I’ll be a carnie stripper.” If you feel like that’s really where your calling is, then go for it. However, if you’re just genuinely freaking out about trying to find balance between sleep, homework, social life, making sure you don’t smell bad, etc., then take a breather. You aren’t the only one panicking. In fact, I can almost guarantee everyone is a little panicked. Some people are just better at faking it.
First thing's first, make sure you’re taking care of yourself in the whole process of adulting. I can’t tell you how many times I would be getting ready to go to bed and I had to ask “Did I eat anything today?” DON’T do that! I’m not saying you have to sit down and have a full three course meal. I get that a lot of us are in time crunches with class and work, so keep something small and easy in your bag to snack on. I usually keep a granola bar or trail mix so I can just eat while I’m walking from class to class. A granola bar isn’t enough to keep your body going all day, so make sure you’re getting something sustainable into your system too. “But I don’t have time”; make time. Always make time to keep yourself fed and happy. Going along with this, would be making time for sleep. All-nighters are expected. Try not to make it a regular thing! Without sleep, your body doesn't have time to recharge for the next day. Staying up for days on end is really only going to hurt you in the end because you won't be functioning properly mentally or physically. Naps are good when you have time. Recharge when you can but don't freak out if you only got three hours of sleep last night.
Do not alienate yourself from friends because of homework. I definitely think that school work is important; the reason you’re going to school is to get good grades and land a killer job later in life. This does not mean that you shouldn’t close the text book occasionally and go socialize. Even if it’s just for an hour, go get coffee with your friends. If you aren’t keeping yourself socialized, it could end up causing issues later down the road. If you’re truly freaking out about a grade for a class and you feel like you NEED to spend the next few nights studying, tell your friends. No, studying isn’t fun but your friends will understand and are most likely going to help you knock out some flash cards. I had a group of friends from one of the class freshmen year and we would all get together and pick up a Little Caesar’s pizza and go through the study guide together. Being around other people makes the process less grueling and can even help you understand some things better. Don’t be afraid to reach out for a study buddy.
Third on this list of do’s and don’t’s would be to set a time every week for laundry/ cleaning. There’s probably an evening each week where you don’t have a whole lot to do. I personally did my laundry on Thursday nights because it was close to the weekend so I’d have fresh clothes to pack if I decided to go home, and it also happened to be the night everyone always went out so there were tons of washers available in my dorm. No one wants to spend their Friday night cleaning their room or doing laundry, so bite the bullet and do it early on in the week.
My next piece of advice is to talk to your boss about your schedule in advance. If you have a test that you know you’re going to be cramming for, let your employer know ahead of time that your availability might slightly change during that time. A lot of employers, especially in college towns, are very understanding of this. They know that your main goal right now is to get an education, not to become a pro at flipping burgers. If you aren’t sure about finding a job that will work with your crazy school schedule, try finding a job on campus. They’re usually extra understanding about crazy schedules and will be even more helpful in accommodating yours. Still not sure how to go about this whole job thing? Go to your school’s career center! They’ll typically help you create a resume and search for jobs that you’re qualified for. Especially if you’ve never had a job, the career center will be your best shot at figuring out this not-so-fun process.
What I’m going to leave you with is this: Take it easy on yourself. There will be times when you aren’t able to balance everything perfectly. Maybe your laundry is in a huge nasty pile because you decided to go out Thursday night instead of cleaning. Or maybe your friends are bummed that you missed that huge party because you were studying. It’s OKAY. There will rarely be a time that everything is exactly how it should be. You’ll honestly probably never find total balance. It’s alright. Breathe. Have fun. Don’t take yourself so seriously.
