As students, we're living in a world full of expectations. We go to classes full time, are involved in extracurriculars, some of us have jobs, and want to spend time with our friends. Between studying, writing papers, hours at work, club activities, and all the other resume builders, many of us let our health fall by the wayside. Grades, sleep, social life, or a job. Pick three. College is tough, and I don't have to tell any of you that. Excelling as an individual, not merely scraping by, is even more challenging. Our parents told us these were supposed to be the best four years of our lives, but so many of us are, instead, having panic attacks over all the work we have or suffering mental breakdowns because of a poor grade we received. This was the epitome of my first semester freshman year. It's a tough pill to swallow when you find out your friends have been taking Adderall to stay up all night and study for the four tests they have in a week. It's just as hard when a friend asks you to drive them to the student health center for a therapy session because their depression has worsened. We are consumed by stress when we should be taking away skills to help us in our future careers. I have talked to so many people who tell me they cram for tests just to regurgitate the information and forget it all later. That is the furthest thing from the point of learning.
I have a bad habit of biting off more than I can chew when it comes to taking on projects. My time management skills are far from impeccable, and I'm thoroughly convinced I will never see another night when I get a full eight hours of sleep. This semester, I am taking 16 credit hours of classes (which really equates to 22 hours of actual class time), work 30 hours a week, am active in my sorority, am involved in an extracurricular club and still find time to visit and ride my horse. That seems like a lot because it is, and I know plenty of students who do even more than I do. After a year of college under my belt, I realize how important it is to take care of yourself; no one is going to do that for you. While those sleepless nights may seem unavoidable, we need to remember that our health is more important than a 100 percent on a quiz. A measly quiz grade won't matter in the future, but years down the road, when we're sick, tired, and can hardly remember our own names, we'll have wished we paid more attention to what we did to our bodies.
Now in no way am I saying don't worry about schoolwork; just don't act as if your life depends on it. Find ways to de-stress: a hobby, taking a bath, having dinner with friends. We have become so detached from the world; we're getting caught up with our own warped views of reality. We place many more expectations on ourselves than the rest of our lives do. We constantly test ourselves and our limits to see how far we can go without realizing the damaging effects.
Sleep; we forget the importance of it. Don't be ashamed of spending a day in bed; we all have those days when we need to catch up on sleep. If you have to cancel plans, your real friends will understand (or they'll come over with pizza and a movie, and you can be lazy together).
It's okay to be a little selfish; don't feel as though you need to bend over backward to please other people. The truth of the matter is we can't make everyone happy, and sometimes it's just not worth it to try. If you need to put yourself and your best interests before someone else's, do it.
Eating — something every living thing does; so many of us are embarrassed of eating in front of other people or even deem it unnecessary. Nourish your body because it is the only one you'll ever have. Don't skip meals, make them a part of your daily ritual.
Do something you enjoy every day; make time to make yourself smile. Watch an episode of your favorite TV show, paint if you love painting, go for a run if you like running, give yourself something to look forward to doing at the beginning or end of each day.
Don't be afraid to talk to someone; we all have bad days, weeks and even months. If life feels as though it has become too difficult for you to handle, know that you don't have to go through it alone. Open up to a friend, a mentor, a teacher, your parent, anyone you feel comfortable letting know you're struggling with something. You are loved and cared about, and there are people who want to make it better. Nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, is worth throwing your life away, regardless of how tough it may feel.
Be optimistic; I know how cliché this sounds and how difficult it can be to be genuinely positive, but waking up with a different attitude changes the course of your day, and I can attest to that. Be open-minded, be willing to change your course of action when things go wrong, and don't sweat the small things.
We put so much pressure on ourselves to be perfect, and simply understanding that we don't have to be is a huge step in the direction of wellness. We dream of achieving happiness and doing great things. Sure, we'll make some mistakes along the way, but isn't that the point of living?
