The first semester of my freshman year of college, I was so excited to get involved and make my parents proud of all that I was accomplishing, on campus and in the classroom. I threw myself into applying for position after position. I put 120% effort into every assignment I did. And, in the end, it all paid off. But, not without consequences. Now, you may be thinking, okay so she did great in classes her first semester and got involved on campus, what would be wrong with that?

Well, the problem was not my accomplishments, it was the way I lived my life during this time.

Along with putting 120% effort into everything I did came an abundance of unnecessary stress and countless mental breakdowns. I believed that not understanding one thing, one bad grade, or not getting accepted to one position was the end of the world.

I cut myself off from everything and everyone but my schoolwork and my study groups. I believed that just one night off would lead to my grades spiraling downward, out of control. I thought it would stress me out to be hanging out with friends, thinking about all the work I have to do, so instead, I would stay in and work 24/7 - no breaks.

At the end of the fall semester, I saw that 4.0 and of course I was happy. But, as I sat down during winter break and actually had some time to think for myself and reflect back on the past semester, I realized something. I realized that I never said "yes." In probably about 90% of opportunities I had to do something fun or relaxing, anything not related to schoolwork really, I would say "no." I was so high strung that I was unable to give myself a break. I realized I had missed out on so many experiences and meeting so many people, simply because I was wrapped up in the worry of how the rest of my life would go if I took any time away.

So, this semester, I have made it a point to be intentional about saying "yes."

Of course, school and involvement are a priority to me, but I have realized you can make those a priority while also being able to take a break and have fun sometimes. Everyone needs a break, and this semester I have met people I otherwise would not have met and have had experiences I otherwise would not have had. This decision to say "yes" more often has made me happier and more carefree, which we all could use a little more of in our lives, especially as college students.

From here on out, the "say yes" philosophy is one I will live by. It's cliche, but life is short. College only lasts 4 years, so make the most of it. No one really knows what they're doing, so don't stress yourself out about what you think you "should" be doing. Make the most of the experiences you'll be unable to have after college. After all, this will be the last time all your friends are in the same place, so make every second count. Just say "yes."