By: Katie Sanders, Editor in Chief
Balanced isn’t the first word that comes to mind when I think about describing the life of a college student–especially my life as a college student. During interim I had more free time, as most Wofford students do, so I began to reflect on how good it felt to have time to do the things I enjoy versus how not good it feels to live from one obligation to the next during the thick of regular semester.
This is not to say going to class, doing homework and participating in extra curricular activities aren’t important or worth spending time on. Attending any sort of higher education is a privilege many young adults around the world don’t have, so I county my time at Wofford as a blessing. But there’s something about working and studying and going and doing 24/7 for months on end that is exhausting. Surely this can’t be the only way to live and thrive while in college.
Dr. John Fort, who co-taught my Interim class with Dr. Dawn McQuiston, lectured us one day about living a balanced life. It was the pre-law interim class, so it was a room full of students interested in eventually being lawyers. He told us that if you’re going to survive a demanding career in law, you must have a hobby and you must be physically active. Furthermore, you must be dedicated to making sure you set aside time for said hobby and physical activity. As a class, we also researched and discussed how lawyers are a demographic of professionals with high rates of suicide and substance abuse because their jobs are never done, even when it’s 5 p.m. They go home and still have cases to read. They lay down at night still carrying the burdens of their clients. It’s an important job, but it’s also a load to bear.
This was all very relevant to me since I’m currently applying to law schools for next fall. My ears perked up as Dr. Fort discussed balancing your lifestyle. I began thinking about how bad I am at balance now and how much worse it could get next year as a first-year law student. I knew I had needed to start practicing, so as this spring semester began, I asked myself, “ What can I do to live a balanced life this semester?”
The answer was easy: schedule time to do the things that keep you sane. For me, that will include working out, reading for fun and not only for class and working the New York Times crossword puzzle. The last one will be easy to schedule, because the only day the NYT puzzle is easy enough for me to even have a hope of finishing is Monday. As for reading and working out, I am going to consciously set aside time a few days per week dedicated to enjoying those things.
It’s always tempting to turn spare time into nap time or Netflix time, or to feel like you simply do not have enough hours in the day to finish all your homework, make it to every meeting or practice and get a healthy amount of sleep. Being intentional about planning “you time” will make sure it doesn’t fall through the cracks. For me, that will look like sitting down on Sunday night and planning out my week ahead of time. I invite the rest of the Wofford community to join me in being proactive about living balanced lives this semester, however that may look for each one of you.
