Coming back from spring break, we, at The Collegian, found it difficult to crawl out of bed Monday morning. Being launched into a week of class, work, friends and other activities left us overwhelmed and longing for the summer.

The rest of the semester seems unbearable to get through and we’d rather dropout because May seems so far away.

However, dropping out isn’t the most realistic or wise option. We need to look deep within ourselves to search for the will to keep going. But as the semester continues, there will be hurdles.

This week will be just one of the first waves of pressure on students to always be busy, working or connected.

Busyness shouldn’t overtake everything, though. We, at The Collegian, are here to say “no” to falling victim to hopeless late nights drowning in homework or feeling obligated to always fulfill plans to hang out with friends.

The following month and a half is going to be rough, so instead of being chained to a full schedule that feels daunting, find time to be alone and just breathe.

With good time management, a balance of work and relaxation can be found.

It can be as simple as not checking one’s phone first thing in the morning and instead preparing for the day worry-free and away from notifications and timelines for at least a half hour.

Disconnecting from a phone completely could also be a solution to slowing life down.

For instance, a survey done by Future Work Center of 2,000 workers in the United Kingdom found constant social media notifications are linked to a higher feeling of anxiety.

Psychologist Jon Elhai reviewed 23 peer-reviewed articles investigating the relationship between smartphone use and symptoms of anxiety and depression. He found smartphones increased the symptoms because of FOMO. “The fear of missing out” leads people to check their phones out of fear they missed an important social event or interaction.

Maybe friends are getting in the way of taking a break. Say “no” and trust they keep that it’s nothing personal. Taking a weekend to sleep and knock out a to-do list is definitely OK

We’re all just trying to do our best and not get sucked in by things that stress us out, so be understanding to others when they are having a bad day or just need some alone time.

The Collegian’s adviser Susan Smith is a big proponent of just “living.” Meaning doing activities and having adventures that help you live your best life.

We, at The Collegian, have found scheduling time for ourselves to forget the stress around us is definitely a great way to just “live.”

Stance:
Allow yourself to just live.

The Collegian Editorial Board meets weekly and agrees on the issue of the editorial. The editorial represents the opinion of The Collegian.