If there’s one thing that I get told on a regular basis, it’s, “Oh, you seem really busy.” I will admit that I am an extremely busy person: between my two majors and a minor, two club presidencies, another executive board position, three internships, two research projects, and a part-time job. However, I am not busy; I’m just occupied.
In my opinion, “busy” insinuates something negative since people only mention being busy when they’re complaining or trying to get out of something. However, occupied is something lighter and more bearable for a lot of people. It’s not like I dislike what I’m doing; it’s quite the opposite and I truly love everything that I’m doing with my life at Bradley. It’s all extremely fulfilling so I never feel upset about having so much to do on a daily basis.
Being told that I’m busy constantly is typically followed by a look of pity and ensuring that I know what I’m doing. Surprisingly enough to everyone, I do know that I am busy, and I did do it to myself! I promise I know! I understand that it can take people by surprise, but it’s just how I’ve always been since I love staying active in the communities that I am part of. Seeing all the pity and hearing all the doubts can start to take a toll on me, and it begins to impact me on a mental level. I just ask that people recognize that I am able to take on everything, and I do understand the position that I’m putting myself into!
If you’re someone that’s constantly busy, whether it be academically or through work or athletics, I’m sure you can relate to what I’m saying. It’s almost like it’s taboo to be busy in this day and age! I recommend just letting it roll off of you, however, because you can just have trust in yourself and knowing that you can handle it. If you cannot handle what you’re doing, then you can always alter the way you’re approaching it or remove something until later down the line. You don’t have to be discouraged about everyone looking down on your schedule! My philosophy on it is to keep consistent and ensure that you’re feeling fulfilled with everything. If it’s not impactful and important to you, it can be easy for everyone else’s negativity to impact you.