When I first got to college, I was most excited about all of the opportunities that were available to me.  I wanted to try a little bit of everything, because as most people are, I wasn’t’t sure what I wanted to study yet.  After signing up for a bunch of different clubs at the involvement fair, I was ready to fill my schedule.  For the first month of the quarter, it felt like I had a different meeting every night!  I loved having a routine and seeing what DePaul had to offer.  After exploring all of the clubs and orgs, I narrowed it down to two clubs I’d devote my time to.  I was feeling confident in my schedule, until I started to hear some of my classmates talk about theirs.
We had been in class for a month, and it seemed like every one of my peers (all freshman, might I add) had a much more exciting plan than me. Â They were applying to internships, declaring majors, and making time to go downtown and explore Chicago. Â How did they have the stamina for all these extracurriculars? Â I started to wonder if I was doing enough. Â
It’s so easy to compare yourselves to others.  Especially when you’re a freshman in college, and you’re not sure what the norm is.  I was comfortable with my low workload, I mean, I was still adjusting to being a college student!  I definitely had thoughts of “Am I doing this right?” and “I should be more busy, I have too much free time.” But, I learned that I had picked a schedule that was right for me.  I started to use those free moments in the day to reflect on my current situation and take a break from working.  Allowing for self-care in my schedule really helped me feel more balanced and present for activities that I was passionate about.  I realized that some people’s schedules just don’t jive with mine.  And that’s okay. Â
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