As school gets back into session, it's incredibly east to get caught up in too many activities and get burned out. So, how do you avoid it?

Whether you're a freshman or a fifth year senior, it can become hard to say "no" to events at the beginning of school (especially if the word "free" is involved).

Especially if you've had a long summer where you've been drained (physically or emotionally or otherwise), it can be tempting to distract yourself with the things around you.

But I think we can all imagine how that can end badly.

So, how do you avoid burnout?

Here's some tips I've had to learn the hard way, and if you follow them, perhaps it will go smoothly for you!

The biggest area where life can end up kicking your butt easily is Grandfather time. If you don't get a hold on him, everything easily spins out of control.

There are five things everyone should demand to do with their time occasionally- spend time with friends, with yourself, with dinner, with your pillow, and some time bettering who you are.

Time with friends

It's fun to meet new people, but sometimes you have to ask your friends for some time for it to be just your crew. It's incredibly relaxing to be allowed to be yourself and not have to try to impress new acquaintances.

Time alone

As great as it is to be around people who lift you up and give you a smile, it's good to have some time to entertain yourself. It's good to read a book or turn on an album or just contemplate how you feel about the world around you. This is also time you can use to step away from your busy life and just spend some time in prayer, Bible study, journaling, or catching up on long lost favourite movies.

Time with food

I know, that sounds incredibly unhealthy. Please, do not eat your entire pantry. But every now and then, it's good to have a bowl of your favourite ice cream or a slice of your guilty pleasure.

Time to sleep

Go to sleep. Seriously, take time to sleep. Just get some sleep. Do I need to say sleep again? I think you get my point about sleep.

Time to start sanding up for yourself

If you don't want to go to an event, even if all your friends go, don't. It can be hard to learn that you can say no, and it's a fine line between doing what you want and being selfish. But find your line and learn to balance it. If you can't stand up for what you feel is best, then no one can. A true friend won't make you have a reason or an explainantion. At the end of the day, "I don't want to" should always be enough. (Unless it's class, you have to go to class. I am so sorry I had to be the one to tell you.)

This semester may be rough for a lot of us. But if there's one thing summer taught me, it's that it's never to early to live life to the fullest, and live it the way you believe best. We have people who care about us, and their opinion should always be highly valued. But their voice does not outrank yours. You have to live the life God created for you, and we all need to strive to live it well.