When you are in an academic environment where everyone is striving for success, it is easy to feel like you are not doing enough. It is hard to realize that everyone is going at their own pace and that you should not compare yourself to everyone else. Your race is different than those around you. You should do things how you want them without feeling inferior to others.
While insecurities in middle and high school come out in ways where you feel like your appearance is not up to par with others, in college, academics account for most insecurities. I have seen a lot of my friends struggle with this and I have struggled with it myself. I feel like I am constantly hearing about people my age getting internships, and job opportunities, all while managing to maintain a perfect GPA. Hearing this makes me question if I am doing everything I can to succeed.
It takes a lot of self-reflection to realize that while you may feel like you are not doing enough, you are if you are doing all you can handle. Not everyone can handle the same amount of things. Your roommate may be taking 18 credits while juggling an internship and a part-time job beautifully, but you may have trouble doing that. If taking 12 credits and having an internship, while doing some extracurriculars is what makes you happy, then continue doing that.
It is very important to strive for success and to push yourself out of your comfort zone, but it is also vital for you to take a step back and only commit to the number of things you will be able to accomplish well. It is better to do less very well than to do many things but not be good at any of them.
Stressing out a ton does not help anyone. It does not help your immune system at all. It hurts your productivity in school and in a professional setting as well. A little bit of stress keeps you motivated, but when you overload your mind and body, the damage caused can be irreversible. Only do the things you can handle doing, and if you realize that your schedule and workload is becoming too much, figure out what you can do to reduce the stress. Consider taking steps to manage your time better and if that does not work, figure out what you can cut out of your life so that you can excel in all other areas.
Stop comparing yourself to everyone else and realize that you need to take life one step at a time and if your friends are taking 3 steps at a time, you do not need to follow suit, because you might fall along the way.
