There are some weeks in college when I look at my calendar and wonder when exactly I am supposed to have time to breathe.
Between multiple exams in the same week, working two jobs on campus, keeping up with assignments, attending sorority events, and trying to have a social life, my schedule can fill up incredibly quickly. The funny thing is, most of these are things I chose to do, and that I enjoy. That almost makes it harder to decide what to give up when everything starts happening at once.
One of the biggest things I have struggled with in college is the feeling that I don’t want to miss anything.
If my friends are doing something, I want to go. If my sorority has an event, I want to be there. I want to do well in my classes. I want to show up and do a good job at work. I want to take advantage of opportunities on campus. And somewhere in between all of that, I also need to eat, sleep, do laundry, clean my apartment, and have a little time to myself. Unfortunately, college doesn’t always spread things out nicely for you.
There are weeks when I have multiple exams within a few days of each other, and suddenly the free time I thought I had disappears. An evening that normally could have been spent with friends becomes a study night. A Sunday that felt completely open becomes the day I need to catch up on assignments and prepare for the week ahead.
I’ve had to learn that being involved doesn’t mean I have to be involved in every single thing. That is still something I’m working on. It can be hard to say no to something fun because I need to study, especially when it feels like everyone else is going. In the moment, missing one event can feel like a huge deal. But I’ve started reminding myself that there will always be another dinner, another sorority event, another night out, and another opportunity to spend time with my friends.
I don’t get another chance to take the exam I have tomorrow. At the same time, I don’t think the answer is spending every free second studying. Some of my favorite college memories have happened because I closed my laptop and decided to go do something with my friends. I’ve realized that finding balance isn’t necessarily about dividing my time perfectly. Sometimes school needs more of my attention. Other weeks, I have enough room to say yes to almost everything.
Working two jobs, being involved in my sorority, taking challenging classes, and participating in other activities on campus can be overwhelming, but those things are also a huge part of my college experience. I would rather have to learn how to manage a busy life filled with things I care about than look back and wish I had gotten more involved.
Sometimes, the best thing I can do is accept that I might miss something. Because missing one thing doesn’t mean I’m missing out on college; I am already living it!
That’s all for now!
-Jordan
