Tipping the Scales

It’s Libra season, y’all!

What exactly does that mean?! Honestly, you’re probably going to have to grab yourself a copy of the latest issue of Cosmo to figure that one out. What I do know about Libras, though, is they thrive on maintaining balance in all areas of life. A proud Libra gal myself and with midterms in full swing, I see no better time than right now to adopt this balanced Libra mentality.

Sure, all of that astrology business may be mumbo-jumbo, and whether you’re into it or not, doesn’t matter. What’s not mumbo-jumbo, however, is the importance of remaining balanced throughout the school year. You don’t need to be a Libra to understand that college is all about striking the perfect balance of time and effort spent on education, a job, clubs, friendships, relationships, self-care, and if you’re lucky, sleeping and eating.

As my final semester of college flies by right before my eyes, I face the most difficult challenge of staying balanced I’ve encountered thus far. The daunting reality of my future casts a hefty shadow over my already busy and overwhelming schedule that consists of school, a job at Dunkin Donuts, attending career fairs, meeting with groups, working in the theater department, exercising, and making time to have a social life.

As college students, we face enough stressors in our lives as it is. You don’t need to be one of them. As DJ Khaled so eloquently put it, “Don’t play ya’self!” Easier said than done, though. Trust me, I know. So, below I’ve compiled a list of some tips and tricks to help you stay balanced, healthy, and happ(ier) when college tries to weigh you down:

1.) Plan out your days. Use a planner. Fall into a routine of writing down all of your assignments, commitments, lunch dates, interviews, etc. Heck, maybe you even want to pencil in some time for an obligatory, good, old-fashioned mental breakdown every now and again. Planning these ahead of time just might save you hassle in the long run.

2.) COFFEE—but also water. Hydrate or die-drate, my friends.

3.) Ask for help when you need it. This is something I struggle with, and some of you may, too. Life becomes too much sometimes, even for those of us who want to do everything on our own. There’s no shame, though, in admitting you might need some assistance from time to time.

4.) Be kind to yourself. Look at you living life and tackling a bunch of big, awesome things every single day! Some days you may have it all together. Other days your roommate might walk in on you eating a pint of Ben & Jerry’s in the shower, and that’s ok! You are only human. If you’re doing your best, that’s something to be so proud of.

5.) Make time for the things that make you happy. When you’ve got a lot on your plate, it sometimes becomes hard to do things you genuinely enjoy. Doing these things, however, is so important I can’t even stress it to you enough. Go to that happy hour with your friends. Set aside a time to play your guitar. Take an hour to go to the gym. Whatever it is— just do it.

6.) Set clear deadlines. To maximize efficiency in my day to day schedule, I’ve found it works best for me to make clear deadlines when trying to accomplish things.

7.) Don’t spread yourself too thin. This is something I’m still working on. I realize, though, that I can’t always be everything to everyone and accomplish every single thing I want to when I want to. It’s ok to say “no” sometimes. Put effort into the things of maximum priority to you.

8.) Eat and sleep. This seems like it should be easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy. Sometimes it truly is difficult-difficult-lemon-difficult, though. Treat yo’ body right, friends. This makes all of the previous tips so much easier in the long run.