If you’re like me, you spend most of your time with your head buried in a book. Suddenly, you look up and you haven’t spent quality time with your friends in weeks; You’ve even started to feel like you don’t have as many friends as other people because you can’t seem to tear yourself away. For those of us obsessed with the perfect GPA, homework can turn into a monster, hanging on wherever we go.
I’m here to tell you, you need to kick that monster to the curb. You might feel like you have a billion things to do at first when you’re out with friends, and maybe you do, but one night a week of slacking off won’t kill you. Not that your GPA goals don’t matter, but your social life is also important. Sacrificing a few hours to make connections with other people is a good trade-off not just for college but for life.
Your GPA tunnel vision might subside a little if you think of socializing (i.e. going out) in a different way. Instead of “partying” think of a party as an opportunity to network. The people you meet in college can and will be professional contacts for you one day. The more often you’re out socializing with these people, the more connections you’ll have. Think about your resume as well, joining clubs and doing activities outside of class will look great to future employers. The more you immerse yourself in groups who are interested in the things you’re interested in, the more you’ll enjoy your studies. Someone you meet outside of school could also become your next go-to study-buddy whom you would have never met otherwise. You never know who you’ll meet unless you put yourself out there.
It’s good to take breaks for your mental health, too. Whether you need to rant about that teacher who seems hell-bent to give you B’s on every assignment, or you just need to blow off some steam, hanging out with friends is the perfect way to decompress. Remember, taking time off from work doesn’t mean you’re going to become some kind of party animal— you’re just trying to make time for yourself. Schedule time for your friends if you have to. Getting into a routine may make things easier for you, and if you’re slammed with school a regiment may make things more easy. You might think it’s impossible to set aside any time for yourself to cultivate friendships, but with a planner by your side anything is possible. Spend a few minutes each week blocking out a time for yourself and fill in the rest with your work. If you’re one of those people who tends to volunteer a lot of their time covering shifts for others at work or completely taking over group projects for class, stop. Remember that your time is as important as anyone else’s and value it.
Don’t be afraid if one night of going out with your friends makes you feel like you can’t catch up, because you can, especially with a little extra scheduling. So, go ahead and become the social butterfly you’ve always been afraid to be, and if that seems like too far of a stretch, at least try to become a social caterpillar.
-HCxo!