For those of you who don’t know me, there’s really only one thing you need to know that pretty much encompasses who I am: I’m busy. At Penn State, I have two minors, I’m in the Nittany Lion Fund, on the exec board of a business fraternity, in an a cappella group, a T.A., and in PLA. And to top it off, I’ve been a part of the majority of these activities since freshman/early sophomore year. The beauty of the PLA is that I’m surrounded by people who understand the feeling and continue to motivate me because of it. However, I recently realized that a lot of what I talk or blog about relates to my packed schedule. At the same time, I feel as though I am not able to fully enjoy any of these activities, especially at a social, personal level because I am so preoccupied with completing the main tasks and moving on to the next one. With recruiting added to the mix during the first half of this semester, it was not a pretty picture. But I assumed, when recruiting was over, that I would magically retain all of this free time.
Well that was not the case.
Instead, I’ve found myself frustrated not only by the lack of time but also just the fact that I’m still busy despite recruitment’s end. So this week I took it upon myself to cut one out of my life, at least for a little. More than anything, I wanted to experience a real college lifestyle before my junior year was over, and I was wishing I could get the past three years back. As soon as I made the decision, I felt a weight lifted from my shoulders. Although I still have a lot of work, I feel as though I’m exponentially more free. I’m making plans to go for trips and see movies and also… just sit and relax. And it feels good. That’s how I know it is the right decision for the long run.
So, for all of you sophomores feeling overwhelmed and drowned by trying to balance academics with extracurriculars, please take my advice: narrow it down. Leave yourself some breathing room and find what’s really important to you. It will allow you to not only focus and do the best job possible but also to enjoy them. This should be the best time of your life, and you deserve it.
Hayley,
To echo with Maddie, do something or focus on the things you are passionate about and you should always make time to relax! We cannot be 24/7 all the time, it is not healthy.
Hi Hayley! I resonated with your post and have had to do similar things in the past. My first two years of college were loaded too- almost to the breaking point- but making an effort to cut back Junior and Senior year has helped tremendously. I’m constantly evaluating and re-evaluating where I’m at with my extracurriculars: Do I like what I’m doing in (insert club name here)? Is it fulfilling? Am I doing it because it makes me happy, not because it makes other people happy? It’s easy to get caught up and forget your personal mission. Never be afraid to ask for help and cut some things out for the sake of your mental and physical well-being. Leave time for reflection, especially as your time at Penn State comes to a close and you start to think about your next steps. I’m excited to hear about what you get into in your new-found free time. Stay balanced! -Maddie
YAY! congrats you will feel better! Doing things is important but so is enjoying the ride 😀