Maintain a Balanced Life for a Balanced Mind

Sophia Shuhay | Writer

It’s Sunday night; you are struggling to finish an essay that is due in an hour. You wish you had finished your essay sooner, but you chose to hang out with your friends and neglect your schoolwork instead.

Many college students try to balance their busy lives, but are rarely successful due to excess schoolwork and job responsibilities. After attending class, one is expected to complete their schoolwork, then go to work. After those things, little energy may be left for self-care or socialization. Maintaining a balanced life is imperative, and implementing a schedule to achieve it may drastically improve one’s mental health.

A study done by HealthCareers states that 80% of students are overwhelmed by their responsibilities. In addition, over 1,000 students commit suicide while on campus. Students must prioritize a balance in their life to maintain a healthy mind, body, and spirit.

“I do believe that not having a balanced or scheduled life can impact one’s mental health,” says Reece Wolbert, a graphic design major at Marywood University. “A lot of people I know don’t have a balanced life and are very busy, depressed, overworked, stressed, and sleep deprived.”

A busy schedule can be managed.

“Give yourself the time that you need (for self-care and relaxation) and then the time you need to dedicate to school,” Wolbert stated.

She encourages students to schedule time to work on assignments that must be done and plan social hangouts and self-relaxation after.

Self-care comes in different forms. For example, one can meditate, exercise, write a journal, or make art. It is suggested that you find a hobby that you take interest in, and do it at least twice a week.

It is crucial to maintain a healthy social life, however, it is easy to shove it aside when you are overloaded with schoolwork.

“Socializing means having a life apart from school and all the other ‘adulting’ aspects,” said Aman Vinayak, a computer engineering graduate of the University of California, Davis.

As the school year is winding down, stress levels also go up. Students are encouraged to seek out Lehigh Carbon Community College’s counseling services. You may find more information at https://www.lccc.edu/counseling.