I will be the first to admit that I get stressed extremely easily, especially over school and homework. A lot of the time, my stress is unnecessary, and I get my work done and move on to the next item on my agenda to freak out over. Yet, there is the occasion where the stress just gets to be too much, and I realize I legitimately have too much on my plate. Sometimes, it even becomes impossible to work; I’m just stuck thinking about all I have to do in the short amount of time I have to do it with absolutely no motivation to finish all of it. I’m sure you understand exactly what I’m talking about.

I am only about three and a half weeks into my first year, but it seems like the work has already started to pile up. Did someone forget to mention that there is no easy transition into the school year in college like there was in high school? Forget the first days and weeks of the past where I had nothing to worry about but getting my syllabus signed. Now, I have already written three essays, read two books, watched two movies to write essays on, and have two exams within the next two weeks. I knew college would be an adjustment, but no one told me just how different it would be.

I’ll admit here that there were times I felt like I didn’t have to push myself too hard in high school; the work just never piled up the way it seems to in college. In my high school at least, teachers worked with each other to avoid having due dates and deadlines fall too close to each other. That idea seems so out of this world in college classes I can’t even imagine it. Now, I’m finding myself time and time again having to extend myself farther than I have had to in the past. I never had invested in a daily planner because I never had to use it in school. Yet, the planner I bought just a few weeks ago has now become an extension of my arm as I am constantly adding new deadlines and test dates and reminders of the ever-growing list of homework assignments I have.

The phrase I had to keep drilling into my brain this weekend was “self-care.” At some point in my first few weeks of college I’ve forgotten that if I don’t take care of myself, I’m not doing the best work I could be. So, even if you’re like me and seem to be spending too much time in the library and in front of a computer screen, remember to take a break every once in a while to take care of yourself. Watch a movie or an episode of your favorite show, take a long shower and listen to your favorite band, or even take a nap if that’s what you need. The work you have on your agenda will get done, so don’t forget to take a minute to breathe and relax while you can.

Rileigh Smirl can be contacted at [email protected].