Realizing When You Over-Extend Yourself

The spring semester is coming to a close on the Hill, and as I reflect upon my time this year (a tactic, admittedly, that helps me procrastinate from studying for finals) I realize that this was the first time in my college career that I overextended myself.

I was enrolled in four challenging classes that demanded attentive reading and assigned frequent in-depth assignments. On top of my workload, I decided it would still be a good idea to keep my extracurriculars. As the semester got busier, my week grew more and more jam packed. There were days, and weeks, where I had to decide to skip something important in my life to complete an assignment or fulfill an obligation to my extracurriculars.

My text message inbox was full of excuses. If I didn’t skip practice, I wouldn’t finish my essay on time. If I didn’t half-heartedly rush through my homework, I wouldn’t be able to spend time with my friends, who I feel like I haven’t seen in days. I needed to beg friends to cover my shifts at work weekly so that I could finish an assignment with a looming deadline.

I’m not sure why, exactly, that I thought this would be a good idea when I was planning my semester. I wonder if I was afraid to say no to opportunities – which I have noticed is a frequent problem among campus. People often join things because they are asked to and are afraid to let down the people that asked. I witness students doing this all the time, and it even extends to noticing friends saying “maybe,” to going out over the weekend when I know they don’t want to.  

My advice for readers as they consider their summer commitments, and maybe even start thinking about what they want to do when they return to campus in the fall, is to be honest with yourself about how much you can handle. Factor in all aspects of your life. Be sure to consider academic, extracurricular, and work obligations, but don’t neglect the importance of a healthy social life. You don’t want to be like me, and be forced to forsake Kimball dinners with friends for a “Croads and Grind” night in Dinand (And yeah, sorry, I dine in at Dinand. I’m not alone!). Time for yourself is important too. Exercise, naps, and other natural stress relievers are important for your mental health!