There are twenty-four hours in a day, but why does it feel less for a college student? Do universities think students have more free time or are we recklessly wasting it? Do you also face similar problems, does the life filled with college workload of assignments, practicals, deadlines, internships, interviews, etc stress you a lot along with an extra dose of family issues and pressure? Then you’re at the right place. In this blog, we will discuss the pros and cons of college life along with some tips for self-care. After all, everybody needs time to relax and rejuvenate.
Is it unrealistic to think that a college student can achieve everything expected from them in twenty-four hours? Is it possible for them to enjoy their college life along with their studies? It is not uncommon to see students complaining about workload every time. A normal Monday morning of a student begins at 8 o'clock, waking up for the online classes. Most of the students, I believe, attend the classes without brushing their teeth. In between the lectures, they might find time to bathe, freshen up, eat, scroll the Instagram feed and cry over pity issues. And in no time do we realize that it’s 4 in the evening. Having realized that half of the day has passed, the body starts to demand rest. Hence, we take up a one-hour nap which may turn into 2 hours under certain circumstances. It is then we realize it’s 5 in the evening with no actual work done, anxiety with future tension starts kicking and all our life decisions may seem wrong.
According to me, the time from 5 pm to 8 pm is reserved for society tasks. If you are part of any society then you get to attend all their meetings, tasks, and events. If you are not part of any, then constant disappointment and fear of missing out (FOMO) on college life will not leave you alone. So in both ways, you are neither happy nor satisfied. After college and society work ends, another drama awaits us at home. The nagging by relatives, family pressure to be extraordinary in every field, the constant comparison with cousins and friends with a special touch of relationship drama. With all these mixed emotions we realize that it’s 10 o'clock with loads of assignments to complete. Till our assignments are complete it’s midnight which we get for ourselves to relax. The stress of completing deadlines makes sleep a foreign concept to us. The need to complete assignments and excel in class along with being up to date with all the latest and trending shows on various OTT platforms is pressurizing.
With so much in our bag, all we have left for us is a single-day- Sunday. Sunday is like an oasis in the desert. When all things in life start to go astray all we need is a deep, long sleep till noon on a Sunday. I believe Sunday and coffee have the magical capacity to heal or maybe it is our thought that Sunday means rest day which makes it so special. Whatever it may be, the thought that weekend’s approaching automatically rejoices in us. The night before Sunday, on Saturday, is more refreshing and calming than Sunday itself. But also, Sunday is like the calm before the storm. As soon as it’s evening, the tension for the next week starts hovering and the weekly vicious cycle of life continues.
Amidst all this chaos in life, how do we find time for ourselves? How do we manage to advocate self-love and self-care routine? Let us try to find a few ways for it.
Time management:
The most important step towards living a healthy, joyous, and happy life is to utilize every second precisely. The age-old proverbs like “Time is Precious” and “Time and Tide wait for none” are not a joke and are relevant in our life. It’s always better to plan your day. Most people ignore this fact. It is difficult to follow proper discipline and time so we should start by taking small steps. Create a to-do list with small achievable goals for the day, gradually increasing it. We should never intake more than we can consume. Know your limits and capabilities. Always remember, “Rome was not built in a day”. Divide proper time for your studies, lectures, hobbies, and hanging out with friends. Knowing your limits is a totally admirable quality.
But also, for people who are bold and passionate, taking dangers and pushing your limits comes naturally. “Doing everything” is what permits you to learn, develop and take advantage of each possibility offered to you.
Do not over study or ignore the study:
There is a difference between studying in college and school. Do not try to religiously follow your school studying tactics for life. College is supposed to help build us for future endeavors in a more socially approachable way by giving us exposure besides academics. We should utilize our time in college to know various people, their culture, learn social skills, life skills which may help in life and explore the world. It is the time which will decide what we will be and how we will be in the future. But this doesn’t mean that we should completely ignore studies. We will learn that grades are important but just grades are not enough. Take part in as many activities, groups, societies as you can, explore your capabilities, know your limits and then decide for your future yourself.
Find happiness in little things:
We should learn to appreciate the little things present in our life. Our parents, pets, friends, books, plants, toys, hobbies, etc to whom we are deeply attached plays an important role in our life. If you love reading books- read them daily, love doing makeup- apply it daily, love your parents a lot- show them, enthusiastic about Bollywood- follow it religiously. Try to devote at least an hour to whatever brings you peace and comfort.
Sleep enough
Sleeping is the best medicine for every disease or problem. Whatever you do, try to complete your 6 hours of sleep every night. I am not going to lecture you on the scientific importance of sleep as you all know it is necessary.
No matter how hectic our college life is, at the end of the day, it’s all worth it. The sleepless nights, dark circles under the eye, missed family events, homesickness, missing out on plans with friends is worth the pain when you get the appraisal and desired outcome. You enjoy staying occupied at the end of the day. You're passionate about what you do. The schedule you've committed to is jam-packed with events, classes, and experiences you're truly enthusiastic about, whether it's because it allows you to express yourself, make a difference, learn and grow, or get you closer to your aspirations, and really, what could be better than that? Being busy can be stressful, but there will never be a boring moment, and you will never be bored or apathetic. Always remember to save time for self-care and social commitments, and be proud of your successes. You'll look back and feel proud of yourself one day.
Nevertheless, this does not mean you cannot find moments of joy in your life. A day has twenty-four hours in it, one can be used for our mental well-being by doing what makes us happy.
Sources:
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/struggles-of-constantly-busy-college-students
About the Author:
Sakshi Chhetry is pursuing her graduation from Daulat Ram College, University of Delhi. You will mostly find her sleeping, eating, or obsessing about Harry Potter. She is a very talkative and extroverted person. She is a big Bollywood buff. You can talk to her about anything except science and electronics.
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