We live in a world where being “busy” has somehow become everyone’s favorite personality trait. If you’re not juggling five assignments, three club meetings, and two existential crises, are you even trying? Productivity has turned into this never-ending competition and somewhere along the way, we forgot that rest is also part of the equation. Between lectures, deadlines, and trying to have a social life, rest feels like a luxury no one can afford. But here’s the plot twist: maybe the real sign of having your life together isn’t how much you do, but how well you rest.
If Rest Were a Course, We’d All Fail the Final Exam
If rest were a course, most of us would be scrambling for remedial classes. Resting has somehow become such a big task that we’ve stopped trying. It’s almost like the word rest doesn’t exist in the college vocabulary anymore, just the way “free time” and “stable sleep schedule” don’t.
And honestly, since we seem to only do things that are trending these days, why not make rest the next big thing? We have “that girl” routines, hot-girl walks, and clean-girl aesthetics but where’s the well-rested girl trend? Health and wellness have been trending for ages, but no one’s talking about the wellness that comes from simply… doing nothing for a bit.
The Bragging Rights of Being Tired
Somewhere along the way, “I barely slept last night” became a weird flex. If I say I slept for two hours because of my assignments, someone will instantly one-up me with, “Oh, you slept? I pulled an all-nighter.” Like, okay, congratulations? What do you want, a medal or a melatonin gummy?
This never-ending competition of who’s slept the least or worked the hardest is honestly getting old. We wear exhaustion like a badge of honor as if being constantly drained equals being successful. Spoiler: it doesn’t. It just means you’re tired… and probably cranky.
The Endless Loop of Exhaustion
It’s so easy to fall into the cycle of staying up late “just this once,” waking up late the next day, and repeating it until your body forgets what rest even feels like. The burnout creeps up slowly until one day you realise you’re running on caffeine, deadlines, and vibes.
Trust me, I’ve been there. It’s not easy to climb out once you’re in that loop of constant fatigue and zero downtime. However, one thing that helped me was reminding myself that my body isn’t a machine. You can’t pour from an empty cup even if you’ve decorated the cup with a cute Pinterest quote.
The Hustle Never Ends (Especially at FLAME)
College life is synonymous with chaos. There’s always something happening whether that is classes, clubs, events, deadlines, or even, the constant pressure to “make the most” of your college years. Our Google Calendars literally define our personalities (thanks, FLAME, for syncing every class, meeting, and deadline right into it).
Even when we do get a few hours free, instead of resting, we instantly think, let’s go out. Because FOMO. Everyone’s at GFC. What if we miss something? In the process of chasing every plan, we forget the most important one — ourselves.
Your Body Is Not a To-Do List
When you overexert yourself, your body goes into constant stress mode that is basically, fight or flight. According to the American Psychological Association, this is when your body starts producing excess stress hormones like cortisol, keeping you alert even when you’re exhausted.
That’s why even when you finally get the time to rest, your brain is still buzzing like a broken Wi-Fi router. You can’t “schedule” peace if you never give your body the signal that it’s safe to slow down.
Redefining What Rest Looks Like
The best part is that rest doesn’t have to mean sleeping (though that’s a solid start). It can literally be anything that lets you breathe and just be. For me, it’s taking an hour every week to curl up with a good book. For you, it might be going on a slow walk around campus, listening to your favorite playlist, watching your comfort show, or even just sitting alone in the mess without checking your phone.
Rest doesn’t always have to look productive to be productive. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your mental health is absolutely nothing. Guilt-free.
Saying No is Also Self-Care
You’re allowed to skip an event. You’re allowed to cancel plans. You’re allowed to say “no” without explaining yourself. It might sting in the moment (especially when everyone else is out), but your body will thank you later. Choosing rest over plans isn’t selfish. It’s self-respect.
The truth is, your body is your longest commitment. You can’t ghost it just because your social calendar looks full.
Make Rest a Trend (Because Why Not?)
Let’s face it. We only do things that look good on our Instagram stories. So let’s make rest the next trend. Romanticise your “doing nothing” days. Take pictures of your coffee and book. Post your skincare nights. Add “rest” to your weekly to-do list right next to “submit assignment” and “attend class.”
You don’t need to earn your rest, because you deserve it.
Final Thoughts: Rest Is the New Flex
I’m not going to bore you with how to sleep eight hours or do yoga (we all know that already). But I will say that rest isn’t laziness, it’s maintenance. You can only hustle if you have the energy to.
So the next time someone brags about sleeping for two hours, smile and tell them, “Couldn’t be me.” Then go take a nap, read your book, or do nothing. Because that’s the real productivity hack.