The buzzing of your phone seems unending as texts come in from friends planning a Horseshoe picnic or pool day lounge. It’s 75 degrees and sunny, the ideal day for relaxation… but you wouldn’t know it, because all you’ve been doing the entire day is staring at a textbook wondering how in the world you are supposed to pass that chemistry exam next week.
We’ve all been there. As college students, it is easy to become too absorbed in classwork and studying. But what happens when those few days you don’t leave your dorm studying for an exam become a pattern, and suddenly you don’t even know what season it is?
When I was studying for my first round of finals freshman year, this became my reality. And while it only lasted for about a week, I can tell you firsthand that eating, breathing and sleeping school for that length of time really does a number on a person’s wellbeing. Before long, knowing the time of day became a fond memory, and I had all but forgotten social etiquette. I did pretty well on my finals but, honestly, the amount of emotional exhaustion that I felt throughout and after that week doesn’t seem worth it to me.
Studying is undeniably crucial in order to get a complete education and enter the working world prepared. However, when studying becomes the only thing you do with your life, your mental health can suffer greatly.
When faced with exams and papers, we all get stressed. And studying excessively for those exams often adds greatly to that stress. That’s college, right? Well, yes, but it shouldn’t be. One study says this can actually deteriorate some functions of our brains. According to this study, over-stressing causes brain inflammation, memory loss and symptoms of depression. Another study from Stanford University showed that too much work leads to stress and physiological problems, such as insistent headaches and stomach issues. Is an A really worth all that?
A happy life is one filled with balance; whether it’s work-home balance or school-fun balance, we all need to maintain an even scale so that we don’t fall too far to one side. So study for that test, but make sure you give yourself a break to watch your favorite show or go for dinner with friends. College isn’t just for studying; it’s also for growing as an individual.
Sometimes the most important thing you can do for yourself is to go outside, read a good book for an entire afternoon and forget about all the little things nagging at you for a while. It won’t make the work go away, but it will clear your mind enough to gain a little perspective.