I have spent the past two weeks staying busy with so many different things, and it has led me to wonder when I am supposed to have down time. Almost every evening these last weeks I have been up until 2am. Whether it be working on a studio project, loading out for the Lights UP concert, or just scrolling on my phone, I cannot fall asleep before then. I have come to realize that this is my typical “down time” during the day. These late nights do not bode well with my goal of waking up at 9am every morning. Even though I may lack sleep some nights, I am used to being able to get down time during the day. While I am only taking 15 credits this semester, I don’t know where that much-needed down time has gone.
This isn’t the first time I have asked this question though. I feel like my perception of down time has changed from high school to college. In high school, I would leave my house at 6:15 am to pick up my friends and get to school. After 7 long hours I’d get to drive home, where I could finally rest (if there was nothing else going on). In college, classes start later, and I am able to get breaks between my classes. Last semester, when I was taking 18 credits along with being an active member in multiple busy orgs, I began to realize I performed my best during a busy day with downtime sprinkled in throughout. On days like those, I would get my rest during meals and the quick breaks where I had enough time to lay in bed for 30 minutes before I was out the door to my next class.
While I thrived last semester, I have yet to get into my rhythm for this fall. My only MWF class is four hours long, and while my professors encourage us to take a break at some point during studio, the only time so far where we go back to our desks (which is when they allow for these quick breaks) is during the last 30 minutes of class. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I have three classes, and my committee meetings for SPA. On Tuesday the admin board also has a meeting, and I do not leave the HUB until around 9:30 pm. While I would not change my schedule for the world, I struggle to get the downtime like I did last semester. I know that once studio eases up and I am more adjusted to my schedule, I will be in my element. Until then, I am still searching for times during the day where I can get some rest, while still enjoying my busy schedule.
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