I am very involved, and I CAN handle it.
Ah. The statement that I have to make, that grinds my gears more than any other. As a new semester begins and there is a turnover in leadership and involvement in different organizations, I find myself repeatedly having to answer questions like, “Well, don’t you think you are already involved in enough?” or, “Are you sure you can handle that? That seems like a lot with everything you have going on.”
Yes. Just yes. I CAN handle it.
I think people sometimes fail to realize that the people who are very involved in a variety of activities typically have a very strong grasp on time management. I can promise you if you go to someone who is heavily involved, their planner is scheduled out fully in advance with checklists for every day. We realize how much time each activity will take. We do not commit ourselves to something we do not love or do not feel we have the time to do. We follow through with our tasks and are reliable, or we wouldn’t be elected or chosen for these positions. So if we are getting involved in it, it means all hands are on deck for this project.
If you are a very involved member of several organizations you are a part of, you thrive when you are busy. Life operates better for you when you are in a routine and are on a schedule. You know exactly when things have to get done and how much time you have to do it, so instead of aimlessly procrastinating at the library scrolling through every form of social media getting distracted for hours, you are efficiently getting your work done in half the time.
Also, it is OK to say that being very involved in several different organizations makes you happy.
I would rather be a little stressed and tired, than bored and feeling like I am not being challenged. Being very actively involved in several organizations is more than just a “mere resume builder” like it is for some. For some of us, we enjoy the challenge it provides us. We enjoy the way it bonds us so close to people just like us and gives us some of the best friends around. We enjoy making a difference and pushing ourselves with our leadership skills and professional skills. We ultimately love the organization. We want to give back to the organization and hopefully give others the same experience we have had. That’s why we are choosing to get more involved. The best part is the long hours of meetings and activities that we get to do alongside our best friends. It doesn’t always feel like work.
Some people chose to do other things with their time or would prefer to live a more chill lifestyle, and that is totally OK. Just as we do not judge you for not being in a leadership role or choosing to watch Netflix all the time or doing other things with your time, do not judge us for wanting to be busy. We are simply choosing a different lifestyle than you, and there is nothing wrong with ours.
So if you are reading this, and you are tired of people underestimating you and acting as though you can’t handle something, know that I and all the other highly involved people on the planet get you, and know YOU can do anything you put your mind to.
I encourage you to stop making excuses and being ashamed to be so involved sometimes when people throw these questions at you. Own it. Because this is the lifestyle you have chosen, and it is most definitely not for everyone… but that does not mean there is anything wrong with it. You know yourself better than anyone else. So keep being very involved. Keep smiling. Keep doing what makes your heart happy. Keep changing the world. Keep breaking boundaries. Because guess what? The world needs people like you too.
