A Balancing Act

 By Jayne Harris    

     With two jobs, two internships, and moving weekend on the horizon, I’ve been pulling my hair out in a frenzied attempt to cram everything into a much-too-short 24-hour day.  Far too many things to do, too many places to be, and too many people to make happy…but you’ve heard it all before.  Every college student is stretched to the limit and overwhelmed (and if you’re not, share your secrets), but it’s hard not to feel alone on your most stressful days.  With the first day of the semester less than a month away, we all need the tools to tackle stress and stay in touch with reality. 

     They always say hindsight is 20/20 – and truer words have never been spoken.  I wish I knew my first few semesters of college what I know now in terms of time management and organizing my schedule.  By including everything, even workouts, cleaning, and sometimes showers on my schedule, I found I can accomplish more in a day than I imagined was humanly possible.  On those days that you feel like the world and time is against you, it’s not only important to schedule meticulously, but also to remember yourself and the importance of your health and well-being. 

     On my worst days, I never let stress become an excuse to eat poorly or skip exercise.  Good nutrition is a key to feeling healthy under stress and the endorphins released during exercise are a much better pick-me-up than the caffeine in soda or coffee.  At the end of your day, take 30 minutes for yourself before bed to read (not a textbook!), paint your nails, or watch TV – whatever you want to do.  It’s important to take time for yourself in order to manage your stress and remember that you’re worth it.  Additionally, I plan to start turning ignoring every text and e-mail that my phone receives after 9:00pm.  By only taking phone calls, you’re ensuring the communication is necessary…no texts just to see what’s up or spam e-mails!  And when you feel completely overwhelmed, alone, and all of your friends are busy, remember that sometimes you are your own best friend – you know yourself better than anybody else does.  Trust yourself and remember: if you know you won’t be worried about it two weeks from today, try not to worry about it now and keep your sights on the finish line.