Especially when you're young and in college, you will realize that there is so much to get involved in. Whether it is internships, academic organizations, sports, religious groups, or leadership roles to take on, you can easily get overwhelmed and feel obligated to say yes to everything that comes your way.
With the turn of a new semester, I immediately got anxiety about all the extra-curricular activities I had taken on. I got envious of all the students who just do school and that's it. I knew that these extracurriculars were beneficial to my life and my future career but, was I sacrificing my youth in exchange for this?
Like my mother always says, "you have the rest of your life to work." And it's true. But, it's hard for me to say no to people and opportunities that come my way which, isn't always a bad thing. However, when your mental health is on the line, sometimes you have to say no. That is why my new year's resolution was to not to over-achieve or over-involve myself.
After trying to do this, I realized this wasn't who I was and I couldn't really do anything about it. I couldn't let my extracurriculars go because truthfully, I loved being involved and busy as opposed to my freshman year when I would just go to class and take naps. So, instead, I modified my new year's resolution to continue to over-achieve but only if you can make equal time for you and your person-life at the same time. Even if that meant bringing homework to wine night with your girlfriends.
So far this has been working out fantastically. If you're naturally an over-achiever like I am, try letting things go a little more. Not to say that means half-assing your way through life, but rather, don't force yourself to pull all-nighters. Instead, wait till morning when you're mind is fresh, ask for a deadline extension, ask others for help, reward yourself with an episode of Netflix, or anything that will equalize your stress.
Some of your superiors will put pressure on you to juggle different tasks and perhaps even overload you. It is important to remind yourself that you're not a super hero and nobody's perfect. It's okay to say "no" or "not right now." For the most part (depending on what type of student you are), college is the busiest time of your life. You have to remind those superiors that school alone is a full-time job, let alone your extra-curricular activities and personal life.
In conclusion, I encourage you to better manage your stressful schedules in 2017 than you did in 2016. Make sure to equalize hard-work with some quality "me time." Don't give up your extra-curriculars; instead, learn to prioritize your work-load and accomplish the tasks that you can realistically accomplish. In a world where time is precious, remember to take a step back and reflect on your life. If you feel like a robot that exists to complete tasks, you need a little more personal time to maintain your mental health.
