Winter break was something I looked forward to for weeks; it was the light at the end of the tunnel to finals week. The anticipation of Christmas and seeing friends and family gave me enough motivation to finish out a stressful week. I craved the idea of having nothing to do and no schedule to adhere to. I felt like the laid back mentality of break at home was exactly what I needed.

At a week and a half in, I feel like I have never been more wrong.

The life I have created for myself at school is much different than my life at home. Not that one is better or worse than the other— they are just different.

Before coming home for break, I failed to realize how different each of my lifestyles were. At school, my schedule is packed with activities, and sometimes I felt like I could barely come up for air. The constant doing I felt became my new normal, and now it feels strange to actually have nothing to do. I find myself craving the constant go of my life at school, craving the feeling of constant productivity.

My parents have taken note as well, as they will often comment on my restlessness. I find myself sitting on the couch for a minute or two, and then getting up, looking for something to do.

I feel like something is missing, as there are no homework assignments to complete or Biology chapters to read. The last thing I thought I would miss over break was constantly having to study.

I know I am not the only one that feels this way. Most students I know that are home for break miss the atmosphere of being at school, the way it feels to be surrounded by peers whose goals are similar to yours, with similar schedules that do not always allow for an abundance of free time.

For some reason, our culture has deemed this normal, and for myself, I do not think it is necessarily a bad thing. I do find it important to be mindful, and to make sure you take the full experience out of every situation. Sure, it is also important to have down time and a bit of relaxation, but keeping the mind stimulated for the majority of the day does not sound like a bad idea. Life is all about balance, and too much downtime is not a good thing.

Keeping the mind stimulated allows for higher productivity and more intellectual conversation. The mind is able to work constantly and absorb more and more information. When done correctly, being “busy” is anything but a crutch.

I find that when my schedule is full, I get more done. I have less time to waste and am forced to be efficient. I find that I am also happier, as feeling productive is definitely something I think makes everyone feel better.

Next semester, when midterms week comes and I feel completely slammed, I hope that I remember this feeling of restlessness. There is always enough time in the day to take a deep breath and then continue with an attitude that will allow for incredible growth.