Written by Amber Wibbenmeyer. Media by Kelsey Middleton.
College can be among the busiest and most stressful times for any person. This could be the case for any number of reasons. Perhaps you are taking a larger class load so that you can get ahead in credits, maybe you are in a lot of extracurricular activities, maybe you have a large load of homework on a nightly basis, maybe you work. There are endless factors that could affect how much stress is placed on the shoulders of a college student, or someone who has recently graduated.
Countless things can cause stress for a person of any age, and one common thing I’ve noticed about the millennial generation is that we don’t know how to take a break. The digital age has taught us that we must be doing something at all times. Whether that is scrolling through Facebook or working on a project, we always have something going on to keep us busy and entertained. There are, of course, exceptions to this, like any theory about the human race.
The need to always have something to do and the stress that comes along with a large amount of “adult” obligations can take a toll on someone’s mental stability. It is common that when people become overwhelmed with all the things they need to do, they break down. They feel trapped by their obligations with nowhere to go. Why is this?
The new age of the world has started to direct people to believe that they have to run like machines. We have to work so hard to keep up with the never-ending world of technology, and then, when we fall short, we blame ourselves. We feel guilty for not being able to keep up, for having to push back deadlines, and for just needing a break. It shouldn’t be that way; we should be able to take a step back from something that is causing us mental or emotional harm without feeling like we failed.
Taking a break is not a bad thing; in fact, it’s healthy. It is said that the average adult needs 6-10 hours of sleep each night, or however much causes you to feel rested throughout the day. Most college students get somewhere on the lower side, or less than the average required amount. We push ourselves to meet deadlines and jump through hoops, but we need to remember that it is okay to take a break.
If you are running out of time in the day and haven’t gotten your work done, email your superior, whether it is your boss or your professor, and explain the situation. Explain that you haven’t finished it yet, but you are working on it, and if you continued it that night it wouldn’t be the best quality it could be, so you will finish it in the morning. Get some rest, sleep, relax, and breathe. The world will not end if you miss a few deadlines, as long as you’re respectful about it.
It’s okay to take a break. Don’t sacrifice your mental health for the sake of a few projects.
