The Observer, November 17, 2006
Volume XXXIX, Issue 11
A Fresh Perspective: Balancing work and play part of college
One of the hardest things to deal with as a college student is stress. It is almost omniscient in our lives; whether it manifests itself in two papers and three tests in one week, or in all of our conflicting commitments, stress is everywhere. If we students don't watch out, it will slowly eat away at us until we become a bitter, sniveling husk of what we once were.
Ok, that may have been a little exaggerative, but the concept is still there. If we don't take time out of our schedules to have fun, we run the risk of becoming frazzled all the time. Our immune system weakens and we become less personable, among a host of other negative side effects. How then, do we college students keep from turning into this negative version of ourselves? There are a number of solutions.
First, let's look at the problem on a day-to-day basis. Every day, take some time out of your schedule for you. Force your brain to release all of its worries and cares for just ten or fifteen minutes. This varies from person to person. For some people, just sitting at their desk and listening to one or two of their favorite songs while closing their eyes helps. If that is not enough, maybe do a Sudoku puzzle or a short crossword. This keeps your brain active, while distracting it from stress. I find that Sudoku puzzles also work nicely during study breaks or while writing a paper.
Over a longer span of time, these little tips and tricks may not work. Something more intense might be necessary. In this situation, the best thing to do is get as far away from your homework as possible. Attend a Cleveland Orchestra concert. Go to dinner and a movie at Tower City with friends. Spend a Saturday in Coventry or the Rock Hall. As busy as you may think you are, there is always time to take three or four hours out of a weekend and go off campus to enjoy the sights and sounds of Cleveland. This physically takes you away from your homework, and will greatly help in the long run.
Now I am by no means saying that work should always be put off, or that an entire weekend should be taken to explore Cleveland without any homework being done. Work is still part of being a student. How else are we going to learn anything if there aren't some practical applications of it?
The key lies in finding the balance between too much work and too much fun. That balance is different for every person, and it may take a little experimentation on the person's part. After all, isn't experimentation a part of the fundamental college experiences?
Hershberger is a freshman Communication Sciences major involved with University Singers and Marching Band.
