As we start entering in to the bulk of fall semester, we're faced with midterms, homework, job applications, volunteering, internship applications, resume building, and student organizations. Then our stress levels start to rising to levels that quite frankly we'd prefer they didn't and inevitable anxiety of making sure we that get everything that needs to get done not only finished but on time. We're expected to have a high college GPA, be involved and volunteer our time to philanthropic causes, have a part time job, have an internship in the field that we want to work in, find time to eat three meals a day, and somehow still have a social life.
When looking through our daily to-do lists and monthly calendars we're scheduling so much time for all of these required activities that sometimes we forget the most important thing, to schedule time for ourselves. Although to some of us it may seem insipid and selfish to make sure that we have a few hours to go to the gym, to do our nails, to watch that new episode of Scandal. Don't forget that you are the most important thing to yourself. You can't make a difference in the world, you can't get your dream job, you can't nail that interview if you're a sleep-deprived and stress riddled mess.
Trust me I know how hard it is to try and find those two seconds to yourself, I hardly have time to sleep. But if it means sacrificing one of my many obligations every once in a while to preserve my own sanity, I know that in the long run it will 100% be worth it. When you take time for yourself you can reflect on everything in your life, which in turn may help you solve that problem you've been thinking about for days, it may help those studying concepts stick, it may help you come up with an idea for your essay that you've been stressing for weeks, and most importantly it may help clear your mind and make you better at everything that you dedicate so much of your time and sanity to.
You don't need to look up how to destress or reduce your anxiety online. Just simply doing the things that you love can be a great way to relax and reduce your stress. So next time you're sitting at your desk stressed out of your mind or having a breakdown in the library (been there done that) maybe take some time to decompress and focus on what makes you happy and what makes you, you.
