Recently, I hit some stressful times. I was going to school full-time, working ten hours a week at an internship, teaching guitar lessons four days a week until 7:30 p.m., working weekends in retail and writing for the Odyssey on top of keeping my personal relationships, homework and trying to find the ever-elusive post-grad job. I realized that something had to give for me to be happy and have room to breath and allow my mind to become creative again. So, I took some time off from writing and being a contributing editor for the Odyssey.

While I missed my team, taking some time off was one of the best things I could have ever done for myself. When I wasn't under the pressure of a deadline, I filled pages and pages of my notebooks with writing ideas. I could relax on a Friday night knowing I didn't need to submit an article and I could go to work on a Saturday without feeling guilty that I wasn't editing.

Slowly, I realized I missed writing. Throughout my short hiatus I had kept in contact with my Editor-in-Chief (bless her for letting me come back) and I finally told her I was ready to come back to the team.

And I'm back-- back and feeling so much better.

In my time off I realized something. It's okay to take time off and to not be busy. Life is not a competition for who can fill their lives with the most things and work. I learned that it's okay to enjoy a Friday night with your friends and to have a drink or go to brunch without worrying.

I learned that it's okay to ask for help, an extension, a day off. We're all human and sometimes we need to take some time for ourselves.