College students are under lots of pressure. Most have to work in addition to actually going to school, so instead of having to only “work” the 12 or so hours a week to be a full time student, people end up having to “work” 32 hours with a part-time job.
All of that business will eventually lead to a nervous breakdown, further complicating the problem. If you’re feeling unhappy because of the pressures of work and school you need some you time! So here are some tips to improve your fun factor:
1. Organize your schedule so that you have at least one almost complete day off a week. It’s probably too late for this now, us being quite into the semester, but it’s something to remember for the future. When all of your time is occupied by something else, there is nothing better than a day where you can sleep in until 12 in the afternoon, and prepare for a party at night. If you can’t get a full day off from work, say your schedule has changed, and it has if you think that’s dishonest, you will be better motivated when you come into work the next day, and if they won’t accommodate you, you should find another job.
2. Do your homework early. You knew this would appear on this list, and normally I’m not the one who advocates this, but I’m currently writing this at 2 a.m. after getting home from a party. The reason I am doing that is because I know I won’t have time for it tomorrow, or for the rest of the week for that matter. I don’t have work until 2 p.m. tomorrow, so why not now?
3. Plan events with friends. Having something to look forward to at the end of the week really makes the rest of your week more bearable. It doesn’t matter what it is from playing Rock Band to going out to a club and smoking hooka afterwards. Parties and vacations should be planned some time away, most of the enjoyment people get out of a vacation comes from the planning, and the imagining what is going to happen.
4. Talk to new people. New people are cool, well ok not all of them. But talking to people whom you normally wouldn’t can really be a very entertaining and intruiging experience. New people can be found anywhere, but younger people are far more eluisive in this area. If you’re under 21 try late night coffee shops. Or maybe you could talk to some people on campus? Most people who look like they’re studying are bored out of their minds, and wouldn’t reject an interesting person’s company.
5. Try new things. Life is about experiences; good, bad, and every point on the spectrum in between. To get the most out of life you must change! For example if you don’t drink, analyze why and possibly reconsider. Alcohol can be an incredible relaxer if you’re not worried about being stupid, but be careful, [if you’re drinking away your problems that’s a sign of depression]. After some consideration if it still seems like a complete turnoff then at least you thought about it.
6. Look for love. How cliché! Having someone else, be it a married partner or a classroom crush, to look forward to seeing somewhere also makes the little events more bearable.
Hmm… I guess I do a lot of these things myself, and maybe I’m just advocating my own lifestyle, but think about this: I work 27 hours a week, I take 16 units, and I work on this newspaper almost every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1-5 p.m. Yet I still have time to play Rock Band for four hours a week some times. Even one or two of the things on this list will make you feel much much better, so go ahead… Try it.