It's coming. We can't stop time or force it backward and whether we're ready or not, the start of another school semester is coming. Though syllabus week claims to be a cool breeze in the midst of the exhausting August heat, we know that the initial clamor and excitement of school will soon be buried under piles of homework and an overwhelming social to-do list. It isn't all bad though; freshman get to experience their first fall football games as college students, sophomores and juniors have a chance to ease into their set majors with the worry of general ed classes mostly behind them, and seniors spend their year soaking in every last minute of their all-too-soon-to-be alma mater. No matter what classification you are, there's no denying that college is a place of surprising opportunities and blossoming new friendships and roles, but also a place that brings on more stress and emotional breakdowns (like eating mac-n-cheese in the floor while simultaneously crying at 3 a.m. kind because you're sure to fail your fall final kind of breakdown) than ever experienced in such a small life time.
We've all heard the speeches given to freshman and long forgotten (or repressed) by senior year: get adequate sleep, don't eat junk food every night, don't procrastinate, and on and on. We're college students; of course we're not going to get enough sleep, and go to McDonalds and Sonic too many times in a week, and definitely wait to cram for a test. Yes, we hate the dark circles, weight gain and unnecessary stress but it takes a while to learn from those mistakes. Don't judge us too harshly. Perhaps the best speech and advice I have been given in college so far applies to every student whether you're a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, black, white, Asian, European, heterosexual, homosexual, transgender, Greek, non-Greek, in state or out of the country. It's advice we've heard a thousand times - in person, email, in passing - take care of yourself.
Approaching finals week in May of my sophomore year, I was under self-inflicted stress and pressure and way in over my head. I visited one of our on-campus counselors to talk about my personal anxiety and honestly, to have a good cry in front of someone who didn't know me from Adam. I was embarrassed to go to the counselor; I felt weak, inadequate, and really small because I realized I couldn't balance everything no matter how hard I practiced. After letting out a good puddle of tears, the G.A. counselor nodded her head and asked me, "What do you do to take care of yourself?" "Well, I exercise five days a week before classes, I eat (mostly) healthy foods, and I really do get enough sleep." But then I went on to accuse myself of not doing enough because I am not Greek affiliated and my list of social activities is pretty small, but then I was reminded that I do have a boyfriend, I strive for As, and taking 18 hours isn't for the faint of heart, and I felt the need to perform to a certain level to make my parents proud (and they are always proud). Basically, I was holding a knife to my own throat to be perfect (newsflash: nobody's perfect. Cue Hannah Montana lyrics).
"But what do you do to take care of yourself?" her voice echoed the same question. As if a veil was lifted, I suddenly understood what it meant to take care of yourself and why people say it so often. We don't listen to that phrase with the attention that we should. So what am I saying? Take care of yourself. So you've got two tests, a paper, a Greek swap, two organizational meetings, and Pig Pickin' weekend coming up, take care of yourself. Finals week and Thanksgiving family plans are coming along with an empty bank account - and mini-freakout - Christmas is just weeks away, too. Take care of yourself. Formal planning, your boyfriend or girlfriend is on your heels, and you just have to pull that grade up before spring finals come and another year is gone. Take care of yourself.
I thought it would be greedy, immature, or wasteful to spend 30 minutes a day by myself doing something I really love - whether it be laying on my bed and catching up on social media, shamelessly watching "Harry Potter" bloopers on Youtube, going to the park and walking Hardy, or watching an episode of "Friends." But in order to function as a human being and not an angry, pale-faced zombie, I learned I had to take care of myself. I'm not telling you to ignore your homework or to give up on your grades - your parents will frown and financial aid will leave you sidelined- but I am telling you it's OK to be alone and rest. It's OK to enjoy some free time in which you temporarily put aside your agonizingly long to-do list. It's OK, yes really, to turn off your phone. Like all the way off. Whatever it takes for your mind to go blank, to remember what it feels like to be a human and not a drowning college student, to feel refreshed, do that!
To the frazzled freshman and stressed out senior, find rest and comfort in Jesus who says his burden is easy and his yoke is light (Matthew 11:28), and take care of yourself.
