At this point in the semester, we might as well all become circus clowns since we’ve mastered juggling 10,000 responsibilities and commitments all at once. As if the 10-page papers and three impossible exams in one week weren’t enough, there’s also the struggle of getting up for class, hanging out with friends, going to club meetings that always seem to fall at the wrong time, tackling that Mount Everest in your room that you call your laundry, forgetting to call mom and dad, finding those few minutes in the day to eat with your crew, walking that extra 20 feet to pass by that cute guy every day at 12:50 p.m., keeping up with social media feeds and almost keeping up with sleep… it’s a never ending cycle.
Both the mental and physical strain get to you at some point, and it did for me two weeks ago. I was beyond the point of a cute manicure and a Netflix binge as a pick-me-up. As so many other college students react, I found myself exhausted and miserable.
One of the key parts in staying happy, I remembered, was taking time away from the hectic chaos to be alone and sort out thoughts. Everyone needs their alone time, and I hadn’t had a chance to think about anything deeper than whether or not there would be pasta on first floor in weeks. I decided to experimentally try something out: to “disappear” for a week. That meant escaping the stressors in my daily life and disappearing from social media, friends, even my phone (as much as I could) and spending more time alone getting things done. I announced to my friends my grand scheme (and nobody really understood what I was talking about), but nonetheless, my Week of Disappearance began!
The first thing I learned was that a human can only eat so many burrito bowls. They were my go-to lunch and dinner each day to take back to my room and eat in peaceful isolation while I did homework. Unfortunately, by the time Friday rolled around, the idea of going near Zoca’s again nearly killed me.
The next thing I realized is how insanely productive I can be when I rid myself of all distractions. Homework got done and I even hit up the treadmill a few times (which is a rarity). I spent a few precious hours cleaning my room and painting my nails. I was actually able to be in bed by 11 p.m. each night and wake up with enough time to pick something out (besides the typical leggings and pullover) and swipe on some makeup before I left my room.
Most importantly, I was able to “explore” my thoughts each day. Instead of just doing things, I began to think about how they made me feel. I thought about the people I surrounded myself with and why I was really at Scranton. Sometimes we forget our priorities and begin to lose sight of our goals. Taking time away from the superficialities of everyday life really allows us to remind ourselves of our true motives and passions.
All of these major revelations aside, being so alone did take a toll on me mid-week. Yes, getting stuff done was awesome, but I began to feel disconnected from ~*~the real world~*~. I missed checking my Instagram feed, catching up with my friends between classes, even calling my mom in a free minute. Once Friday afternoon rolled around, I was more than ready to end the Week of Disappearance before the weekend.
SO. What do we take away from this little experiment of mine?
Sometimes we get, as Frank Ocean (who has yet to come back from his own disappearance) lyrically proclaimed, “lost in the thrill of it all.” Everyone needs a break. Whether that is time to think, draw, free write, hike, or just lay down and stare at the ceiling – it’s crucial. That little breather may seem like it can never fit into your busy schedule, but it’s what we need for our mental health. Yes, a week of it may be a bit extreme (by Thursday I had already felt so alone), but a healthy balance of both work and play is necessary.
So ladies, whether you’re pulling out your hair, chugging Starbucks to stay alive, or feeling like you’re just barely staying afloat, remember: TAKE A BREAK!! YOU DESERVE IT!!