I started the school year off with a hefty list of ambitions: new year, new me, as the saying goes. All summer, I planned out how I would make my year the best it could possibly be. I had so many things I wanted to do on campus and was determined to make them all happen, no matter how busy I became. However, a few weeks into the semester, I’ve realized that I can’t do it all; regardless of how much I work (and how little I sleep), I’ll never be able to accomplish every single thing I want to. So, I decided to give up a couple of items on my to-do list for the year. If you’re like me, letting go of a few lofty goals can be a very, very good thing. It gives you the chance to take a breath and actually enjoy this crazy place we call home.
Exercising every morning
I originally planned to get up at the crack of dawn each day and get my workout out of the way. After about a week of this though, I ended up being exhausted and felt even worse than before. I realized that the great thing about having a gym on campus is that I can workout any time of the day. So don’t push yourself first thing in the morning; let your body tell you when it wants exercise.
Signing up for every club
I have a tendency to want to do way too many things and sign up for more commitments than I can possibly handle. It makes me feel accomplished when I have a busy schedule. However, I learned this year that it is definitely possible to be involved in too much. By cutting back on my extracurricular activities, I’ve been able to dedicate myself to the things I actually enjoy and give my full effort to them, which is much more rewarding.
Keeping in touch with everyone
I tried my best to stay in contact with all my friends from freshman year, but it proved to be exhausting. When you don’t live right next door to your friends, it can be insanely hard to find time to meet up with them. This forced me to consider which friendships I truly value and actively pursue those. Letting go of a few surface-level friendships drastically reduced my stress levels; sometimes, people go their separate ways and that’s okay.
Taking a deep breath and slowing down is so important, and I think we often forget this. This semester, give yourself permission to relax sometimes and enjoy college for what it is.