College students are notoriously busy. For as long as I can remember, I imagined college to be a whirlwind of classes, papers, coffee runs, and all-nighters. I wasn’t wrong. Everyone on campus seems to be constantly buzzing from one activity to another, which is what I love about college. Something is always happening. Sometimes it’s a planning session for a campus-wide activity; sometimes it’s a group of bleary-eyed students huddled around research materials. Both move us along in the crazy road to that coveted piece of paper: our diploma.
But there are some students that bypass that buzz of activity and live in the constant white noise of stress. They’re the students who are sprinting across campus because their meeting let out late, which makes them late for intramural soccer practice. They’re the students who serve as president for three student organizations. They’re the students who choose to wipe the sleepiness from their eyes as they stay up to work just a bit longer on their latest project. They’re driven; they’re determined. They can’t say no to new opportunities. They’re the students who fill their cups to the brim, then refuse to relax for five seconds and sip of the concoction they’ve created. They’re stressed; they’re tired; they’re happy.
If this sounds all too familiar, then kick back, grab a cup of coffee and relax for two seconds while you read on. This one’s for you.
All too often, others weigh in on your full timetable. They think that they know how much you can handle better than you do--though their concern for your mental well-being is genuine (and something you should probably consider more often), their judgmental looks and slightly condescending recommendations to drop a few obligations are neither constructive nor helpful. Those who see the stress in your eyes fail to see the passion that accompanies it. You are involved because you care, and that is not a crime.
It’s okay to be stressed. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. Sure, you could slow down. You could quit a couple things and lower your stress levels. But removing activities is more than a hit to your résumé--it’s a blow to your personality. You are unrelentless in your determination to succeed, and you don’t need to let things go for that to happen (though a few more hours in the day wouldn’t hurt). You committed to these clubs, groups, organizations and even schoolwork because you care about them--why would you let them go just because someone else thinks that you can’t handle it?
Prove them wrong. Stay dedicated. Stay you. It’s people like you who change the world; your passion and drive that you’re feeding with your busiest days and your sleepless nights will someday make the world a better place. Maybe it already is.
Keep pushing forward. Never give up. Keep running from place to place--it will have you in better shape when the time arrives to sprint toward a brighter tomorrow. You’ll be ready.
