Every college kid knows finals week is the most stressful time of year.
It is a week filled with minimal sleep, maximum stress, and an unhealthy amount of coffee. The only thing that got me through this year's finals was knowing that I would have a month to relax and decompress. I was so sure that I would love not having a schedule to fill up my day. However, to my surprise relaxing was harder than it seemed. My mind had been on overdrive for so long. College means waking up every day with a full list of things that I needed to accomplish. There are truly "no days off."
At school I had my schedule down, I knew what I had to accomplish every day, and enjoyed being busy with friends and studying. Being on break meant that most days were free to do whatever I wanted. This was now a foreign concept to me.
The first thing on most college kids checklist for the break is to catch up on all the sleep they missed pulling the late night study sessions. I was no exception. It was strange not setting an alarm, and rushing to get out the door. So, when I woke up at 6:45 and couldn't go back to bed, I was shocked. I've always been a morning person, and my body seems to have its own alarm clock, but I was so sure that being on break meant sleeping in would be possible. Of course, my body had other plans.
Since sleeping in was out of the question, I figured that I could get caught up on all the Grey's Anatomy episodes I missed while at school. I plopped down on the couch with a cozy blanket and all the food and drinks I could possibly need so I wouldn't have to leave the couch all day. After three episodes I couldn't sit for another second. I was driving myself crazy sitting around doing nothing.
College seemed to have wired me to think that relaxing was just out of the question.
As the break went on I found it easier and easier to accept that doing nothing was OK, in fact, doing nothing was just what I needed. My mind and body had been in overdrive since I arrived on campus in August. Taking care of yourself while making time for school and friends is no easy task. So, when the break comes along I have learned that it is essential for my health to just take a deep breathe, relax, and enjoy doing nothing for a while. Because, come the second semester when we all head back to school, doing nothing is close to impossible.
