The Art of Doing Nothing: Why Rest Matters

I think that we can all agree that this time in the semester is one of the most stressful times of the year. Grades, college applications, and working towards different diplomas cause great stress, but for all this is a time in which our grades matter the most. Nevertheless, our mental health and avoiding burnout are crucial for our academic success, and especially in life. Taking care of ourselves is far more important than getting a 100 on every assignment. The academic game is simple: to be able to take care of your grades, you must first take care of yourself. With this, I'm not trying to say to spend all your time taking mental health breaks, but once in a while, you must do so, so you can continue on your path to obtain fulfillment and success. 

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Sometimes, balancing school, clubs, social life, and extracurricular activities can become too much, and you can feel like you are drowning in the pressure to excel in every aspect of your life. You do everything you are supposed to: go to class, get good grades, study, go to your club meetings, and still have time to hang out with your friends, relax, and do the things you love. But when put into perspective, there is no realistic way of fulfilling this all, you will inevitably fall short. Falling short can have a negative connotation when in reality it is normal, and not just normal, it's even healthy. Since it's in these moments when you realize you can't do it all that you will realize what the things you really enjoy and value. 

Burnout is something that can happen to anyone at any given time. One day, you just dread doing even the simplest of tasks, getting up, attending class, or even hanging out with your friends. Burnout is not just academic, but through it, people can become isolated, since there is no way to let things go at that point. And even though there is always a way to overcome isolation and burnout, the easiest way to not only avoid it but get through it is with rest. The art of doing nothing implies simply doing things you truly enjoy. Through this period of rest, you will appreciate the art of pressure but mostly the art of taking care of yourself. 

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So, overall, even though school can sometimes be hard to balance, especially at this age, trust me that learning to balance your activities, but most of all your life, you will come to see what you are capable of. Additionally, appreciate the pressure but also take advantage of your breaks and the ability to relax. Don't drown in the pressure, but float in the knowledge that you will be alright.