One of the biggest things college kids have to adjust to is the need for more effective time management skills. Without having their parents around, students have to learn to find the balance between doing school work, going to class, running errands, eating healthy, sleeping enough, socializing, exercising and participating in hobbies. Nobody is there to take care of you anymore or tell you do to your homework. Nobody cleans after you or makes you food, something most of us are used to our parents doing for us back home. It is important to strike this perfect balance between everything in your life, while adding frequent breaks to do the things you love or just take time for yourself.
One of my friends recently told me that he had a panic attack because he just got extremely stressed about grades and because of his tendency to excessively study without properly balancing the other things in his life. I felt bad for him and tried my best to give him advice on how to avoid it, because even though we didn’t share that experience, I had struggled with similar incidents. The only thing that saved me was some of my closer friends reminding me that college isn’t just about grades and getting into medical school.
I remember one weekend last semester when I finally realized this fact because I hardly did any homework that weekend. I toured the Capitol, went to a party and attended a dance the weekend before Thanksgiving. At the end of that weekend, I had no regrets because I had learned that it was OK to take a break from school when I needed it and not study some days because schoolwork could do me more harm than good. I told this to my friend who had the panic attack and he decided that it was time for a change in pace in his lifestyle.
Yes, grades are very important and every student should work hard in school because coursework and experiences in college will help build toward a future career. But, at the same time, that shouldn’t come at the expense of one’s own health. You should take regular study breaks and spend time with friends, exercise and do what you enjoy. There are no set rules on how to study. It is about the quality, not quantity. College is a time for to prepare for the future, but also to forge lifelong friendships and discover more about yourself and your passions. It is a time of intellectual, emotional and self growth. People have said that college are the best four years of life, because you have the freedoms of an adult, but not quite as much responsibility.
I am starting to learn how to balance my social and academic life along with my health. This year, I no longer study for a designated amount of time. I don’t follow any “rules” because I now know that the key to getting everything I want out of college is balancing everything the right way and doing things when I really want to do them and not forcing myself to study when I know I will hate doing so. I plan on taking the time this year and in the remainder of my time in college to do things on my bucket list like go to a concert for one of my favorite bands, attend a Badger basketball or football game and maybe even go on a spring break trip with just my friends. I will do all this while doing everything I can to help myself get ready for medical school and do the best I possibly can in my coursework.
The idea of the Wisconsin Experience stresses that UW-Madison is different for everybody. That is definitely true because like everything else in life, college is what one makes of it. Finding the time to take care of your mental and physical health while working hard in classes is something every college kid should try to do. This comes in different forms for different people. It might involve spending time watching a favorite Netflix show or just sitting in Memorial Union eating ice cream by the fireplace, or just having a deep, intellectual conversation with a close friend. Whatever it may be, balancing studying with enjoying college will make you healthier and more likely to perform better in your classes. Everyone should take the time to learn how to do that. To paraphrase a famous song by the reputably poetic David Guetta, it’s important to remember to play hard—whatever that means to the individual—as well as work hard.
Nihal is a sophomore majoring in biochemistry. How do you find a balance between school and your other pursuits? Please send all comments, questions and concerns to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
