In college, it may feel like you’re always moving – going to class, hanging out with friends, running errands, going out at night. With this, at least in my own experience, came the feeling of never having any time to myself. Your mind never stops moving. Wake up, sleep, repeat. This isn’t sustainable in the long run. You may feel obligated, especially if you’re a first year, to meet new people and foster new friendships, but it’s okay to take sometime to yourself. In fact, it may actually be beneficial to put some alone time into your schedule.
Here are some reasons you may want to consider spending time with yourself
Relaxation: School is overwhelming on its own. Add in socialization, clubs, and any other extracurriculars, it may feel like there’s no time to just sit back and watch some Netflix or read a book. But, it’s important to give your mind and body a break. Make a plan, say, put down your work at a specific time and give yourself an hour or two to do nothing at all. While it may seem like being entirely unproductive for a little bit, your mind will be much clearer when you pick up your work again.
Time to think: When you’re always going from one thing to another, it can be difficult to process or even think about what you’re doing. College is stressful, and in your first year your life is entirely turned upside down. You need some time by yourself to truly wrap your mind about whats happening. New friends, new classes, a whole new life. Take the time to just sit with your thoughts and figure out whats on your mind.
Productivity: If you don’t study well in with friends – don’t! Listen to your mind and body and don’t feel obligated to push yourself. Sometimes, you way not even realize that you’re not being as productive as posible because you haven’t given it a shot.