Coming back from fall break, the rest of the semester can feel like an insurmountable hill riddled with stress, endless homework, and waning daylight. For me, my workload has picked up a lot and I’ve started to feel overwhelmed with the papers, group presentations, visa application, making time for the gym, spending time with friends, and setting aside time for sleep and mental health, all while staying sane. For me, it’s times like this, when I feel least like I have time to get outside for a walk or do a little self-care night with a friend, that doing those things is actually most important for me. I’ve found that when I’ve finished one assignment and feel as though I need to continue to chip away at the mountain of work I’ve got to do, it’s actually best to step away from my computer and notebooks and do a facemask, go to the gym, or grab a snack with a friend. It’s so, so important to have self-compassion (especially when you’re feeling frustrated and pushing yourself to get more done) and put yourself and your well-being ahead of a school assignment that you won’t likely remember in a year or even a month from now. Now, I’m not encouraging you to blow off assignments, but I think that when it comes down to bending over backwards to do some schoolwork at the cost of your mental or physical help, it’s time to step back, take a breath, and spend some time on yourself to reset and ground yourself in compassion. This fall, when you’re feeling most overburdened with work, try distancing yourself from those papers and focusing on your own well-being before coming back to the assignment– I guarantee you’ll not only feel better, but actually do better academically in the end.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Holy Cross chapter.