In high school, I remember hearing stories about my older brother’s college experiences in awe and anticipation. I couldn’t wait to follow in his footsteps. Staying up all night and only running on caffeine in order to cram for tests? That’s so college, I would think to myself reading his texts. I could practically picture myself holed up in the library doing the exact same.
Now that I’ve made it to college, I can safely say I have yet to pull an all-nighter cramming for an exam. In fact, I would honestly rather avoid it at all costs. In the throes of midterm season, I have to wonder: why do we romanticize this idea of working ourselves to the bone?
Even if you’ve never heard the term “grind culture” before, I can guarantee you’re familiar with the concept. Grind culture is the idea that putting in the work isn’t enough to achieve success. Not only are you working non-stop with no end in sight, but you’re expected to feel guilty for ever choosing to shift your focus towards something else.
I think it’s easy to fall into this mindset attending such a competitive school like UCLA. When everyone around you seems ridiculously intelligent and accomplished, there’s definitely pressure to go above and beyond. There are times where I’ve felt extremely self-conscious taking a study break in YRL when everyone around me is frantically typing away.
While this may sound cliche, the number one thing that’s helped me avoid burnout in college is finding ways to balance the stressful moments with the fun ones. Spent the past two hours studying? Time to head on over to the dining halls and grab myself a sweet treat! Can’t bring myself to start the homework yet? Finish this episode of The Bachelor, and then it’s time to get to work.
That being said, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to work hard. What I’ve found during my time in college is that if I’m not properly taking care of myself, the accomplishments just don’t feel as satisfying. What’s the point of all my hard work if I’m too tired to even recognize it? When I look back on my college experience, I don’t want to feel as though I’ve traded my well-being for a slightly better grade on a test. The most important thing is knowing your limits and acknowledging when it’s time to turn in for the night.
This midterm season, I’m making sure to keep in mind that no one test or assignment defines my worth—it’s the effort I’ve put in that matters. Be sure to take that necessary time for yourself and remember: the grind CAN stop, and it’s okay to let it.