All Work and No Play Makes a Dull Student

Lately, I've been reflecting on the idea of balance (hence the name of this blog). It's so important, but something that is rarely talked about. As we run from activity to activity and try to pad our resume with lots of good grades and extra curricular activities, we start to believe that busy=healthy.


But that's not necessarily true. Yes, it's great to feel a sense of belonging and to be involved in the campus around us, but we need a balance of work and play. If our commitments are starting to stress us out rather than giving us a sense of belonging, we need to reevaluate our schedule.


My challenge to all college students this week is to focus on YOURSELF. Put aside the cell phone, the laptop, and the over-planned schedule. Take time to relax, and come up with practical ways in which you will handle stress. Here's a few to get you started, courtesy of Helpguide.org:


- Identify sources of stress in your life
- Learn how to say "no"
- Share your feelings
- Don't try to control the uncontrollable
- Look for the upside
- Set aside relaxation time


You may think these are common sense, but what a difference they can make!