It's easy to say that "self care" comes first. No matter how much work or responsibilities you may hold, taking care of your mental and physical health is of the utmost importance. But like so many things in college, certain responsibilities take a step back to the goal of getting your degree. Loss of sleep, eating at weird hours of the night, and going out nearly every weekend can often times do irreversible damage to your body. And surrounding yourself with people who have the same mindset can also do damage as well, though it may not be as obvious.
One word to describe college is "stress". Never will a young person be pushed to their physical and mental limits until they are an undergrad trying to get their degree in Biochemistry while being involved in two student organizations and managing friendships and relationships. It is a time of great change and overwhelming obstacles that can often lead a young student feeling lost as to where they want to be as they grow into adulthood.
It is the most important time in a young adult's life to remain stable and healthy but students will often ignore the signs or suffer through mental and physical stress. New challenges that a person may never have faced alone will be presented and it is detrimental to surround yourself with people who will be there for you as well as finding time just to relax.
When you feel you need to study for one more hour into the late night, go to bed instead. When you want to go on the internet just to kill time or release stress, listen to music or meditate. Simple changes in one's life will relieve burdens you may never even knew you were carrying.
Happiness is not defined by a grade on a slip of paper. Your worth is not measured by how many credits you take or what your interviewer thought of your resume. Your well being and growth at the end of the day are more important than studying that extra hour for your morning test. A friend will be there for you when you will truly need it. Know when you truly need rest and you will only grow even more from doing so. Everyone deserves happiness.
