I’ve noticed throughout my time in college it’s much more difficult to say no than it is to say yes. You want to be apart of every and, let’s be honest, everyone gets FOMO. The problem with always saying yes is that you’ll probably find yourself in over your head at some point. Everyone needs free time, and always filling up your days because of the number of commitments you’ve agreed to will only lead to you feeling overwhelmed. Saying yes can lead to many great opportunities; I know I’ve forced myself to agree to certain things simply to push myself out of my comfort zone. But, at a certain point, you’ll realize that sometimes you just have to say no- and that’s okay.
You don’t always have to say yes to going out if you have a lot of homework to do. You don’t have to say yes to going to dinner with your friends if you’re trying to save money for study abroad. Have to many projects at work to finish before starting a new one? Communicate that to your boss. Prioritizing your time and setting yourself up for success is so important, and is something you should learn to do as early as possible.
Saying no can be hard and uncomfortable at times, But, it’s an important thing to know how to do, not only in college but for the rest of your life. Recognizing what is most worth your time early on will help set you up for better choices in the future and allow you to dedicate your time and effort to what matters the most.