Don’t get me wrong, college is a lot of fun! Personally, it’s been a time of gaining independence, making new friends who actually put effort into hanging out with you, and attempting to manage my time well so far. However, let me tell you, those things can be fun just as much as they are stressful.
One of the major stresses for me has been getting to class on time or just at all. It’s so easy to curl up in bed and say, “It’s just too warm to leave!” Well, I guess getting yourself out of bed in the morning is just another responsibility of adulting. Furthermore, in high school, I set my own alarm and tried to wake up, but I always knew if my parents didn’t see me downstairs sooner or later that they could yell up to me. Here, in college, there’s not that same luxury. I thought I was busy my senior year, well, being a college freshman is a whole other story. There’s so much to do. Either I’m up late doing laundry, watching movies with my friends, snacking on pizza rolls, or some other totally unnecessary activity when I finally realize that it’s 1 AM. Instead of taking the time to get rest and getting up when my alarm goes off, I constantly find myself racing to class with my earbuds turned up as loud as possible.
I absolutely love my new friends and getting to socialize with an entire range of new people, but sometimes, I find myself looking at my calendar booked every single night of the week. Actually, as a college freshman, I am shocked to be so busy with socializing. I thought college would be terrifying, and I wouldn’t be able to make so many new friends this fast. So, one of the best feelings has been when a girl you stopped to talk to in the hallway once wants to grab a coffee with you! But when you’re squeezing hanging out with five different friends, doing homework, trying to study, extracurriculars, and more all into one week than it can be highly overwhelming. Yet another thing to contribute to my continual fatigue.
Not only do I feel like stress surrounds me, but I make my own! For instance, I am a psychology major torn between staying on track or going for nursing. At Purdue, our nursing school is amazing but also quite competitive to transfer into. So, as I struggle to keep afloat in my anatomy and physiology class, I question if I’m making the right decision. There are so many options out there for majors and minors, but when you and your roommate are devising your entire career at 2 AM, you can feel swamped with anxiety. Again, another worry I’m putting before my sleep.
In conclusion, college is a place full of a variety of worries, but maybe, if I get more sleep, life would be a little less overwhelming. Therefore, make sleep a priority, so you don’t become a mess of stress like me!