It’s time for some very real talk. College is challenging. This semester has hit me really hard and I have struggled to find a balance in life.
Just like almost all college students, I juggle a lot of different tasks, commitments, and responsibility. This month, I hit a breaking point. I have too much on my plate. I had to sit down and have an honest evaluation of my life and figure out what to cut out. I started to make a list of my priorities (things I wouldn’t cut), my responsibilities (things I couldn’t cut), and my additions (things I said yes to out of good intentions).
Priorities
I am a business owner. I run my own business solo style and serve clients around the country. It is something I absolutely adore and will definitely not be cutting out. (Read more about that)
I am a college student. The past two semesters I have achieved at 4.0 GPA. (Read more about that) Graduating with honors is a goal of mine and not something I take lightly. My degree is a privilege and something plan to keep pursuing. This comes with A LOT of extra work and day to grind so it got to be very high on my list.
My family is something I absolutely cherish. My mom is one of my best friends (cliche’ I know, but true) Spending time with her and the rest of my family to just enjoy life is a very important thing in my life. Cultivating positive relationships with my boyfriend, peers, and clients is essential to my mental health.
Responsibilities
Prioritizing my family also leads to my commitment to my mother’s store. Roxi’sAttic has helped my mom and I find an amazing creative outlet. We are able to impact our community in a very positive way. My involvement in the project is something I can’t give up.
My commitment to my wellness has been a bit shaky as I have tried to find places to fit it healthy eating and exercise into my life. This year I am committing to moving it higher up on my list. I have loved the growth I have personally felt this past month after implementing this change. Again this is essential to my mental health. (Read more about this)
Additions
My activities at school functions have begun to become more of a strain. I am apart of multiple organizations on campus. I have made the very difficult decision to cut these functions almost completely in order to better serve my schedule. These organizations are great programs that have provided me with a lot of positive benefits. However, due to my continued time strain, I have not been able to put my best self into them. I don’t want to hobble along through tasks that I can’t fully commit myself too. That is a sacrifice of who I am.
I am writing this piece as a reminder to YOU that prioritizing your life is not selfish, it is ESSENTIAL to proper mental health and effectiveness. If your feeling stressed and overwhelmed I challenge you to make this list and implement some changes.
The Madison Olivia 