It is human nature to think that we are invincible and that we can handle whatever life throws at us. I’d like to think that I am a great multi-tasker and that I can handle taking on a ton of classes and extracurricular activities both in and out of school. When I think it is becoming too much to handle I repeat this quote to myself: “Someone once told me not to bite off more than I could chew. I said I’d rather choke on greatness than nibble on mediocrity.” However, everyone comes to a breaking point when they are being stretched too thin in too many directions. I experienced this only a few days ago, and it is an awful experience and feeling.

I have always juggled taking on harder or extra classes and being involved with dozens of school and outside of school activities. I have learned great time-management skills and ways to multi-task. Recently, I became aware that I was taking on so much more than I could handle and realized that I would have to sacrifice something that interfered with everything else I had going on. It was the most difficult decision I have ever had to make, and I tried my hardest to figure out how I could do everything all at once, but there was no possible way I could be in three different places at the same time without having access to Hermione Granger’s time-turner or six other copies of myself. Making this decision was stressful and difficult, and by the end I felt defeated that I could not figure out a way for me to not be able to fit this event and activity into my schedule.

Everyone has a moment in life where everything catches up to you, and you realize that you are being stretched so thin that there is no more of you to give. You feel defeated and like a failure that you’re not able to do everything all at once. Breaking down and crying and abandoning all of your other obligations sounds like the best option because you do not know what else to you can do and that is okay. You are 100 percent allowed to feel like crying and frustrated that you cannot do everything you wanted. However, you should not beat yourself up about it.

Yes, it can be stressful and defeating knowing that you have bitten off way more than you can chew and you need to eliminate something so that you don’t die choking. Here is what you need to know: you are human and it is okay. We are fragile beings and taking on too many things all at once is not always healthy, especially when a combination of those things makes you (A) lose sleep (B) skip meals (an occasional skipping breakfast or lunch is okay every once in a while, but it’s not a healthy habit) (C) break away from your social life all the time and (D) stress out and feel overwhelmed all the time.

Having Superman’s powers, Hermione’s time-turner, extra copies of yourself or a few extra hours in the day are definitely on your Christmas list, but unfortunately we don’t have these resources. I know that being stretched too thin in too many directions feels unbelievably terrible and you feel like a failure, but you’re not. You are human and we all have to know our limits. So, if you’re reading this and feeling as if the weight of the world is crashing down on you from trying to juggle too many things, know that it will be alright and that if gets to be too much, talk to someone and figure out what will benefit you the most. Do not be afraid of ‘letting people down’ because you’ll let them down if you try to manage too many things and you cannot give it your all. Know that you are not a failure.