As a college student, at least one adult in your life has probably advised you to be careful with your newfound freedom and to prioritize academic studies. As your peers, we’re here to tell you the opposite. 

Though this specific advice may apply to larger universities, where it is easy to get caught up in diverse social events and neglect your studies, at a smaller college like CWRU, fun and socialization should be embraced just as much as studying is encouraged. It’s easy to get caught up in the grand scheme of academics and then neglect your mental and physical health in the process. Neglect isn’t just about skipping a shower, ignoring your friends’ text messages or eating microwavable junk food. It’s also about missing out on genuine, exciting experiences that provide you with enough social stimulation to keep you sane during finals season.

The hardworking, pre-professional population at CWRU doesn’t go unnoticed. As the pre-nursing students balance early morning classes with clinicals, pre-medical students pace the length of the Kelvin Smith Library’s whiteboards with a permanent scrunch in between their brows, and pre-law students are hidden deep in the corners of the library with football field-length books. When does the fun end, or rather, when does it begin? 

Now, we are not encouraging students to abandon their education or lose focus. Instead, we urge students to accept the fact that a little fun now and then is essential to maintaining your sanity. Constantly studying without a stop in the system causes days to feel shorter, months to pass instantaneously and your college experience to slip from between your fingers. 

Camping out at KSL or the Health Education Campus is not a hobby. Devouring a foot-long Subway sandwich at the speed of light to get back to studying isn’t one either. Instead, you could try actual camping … or possibly entering yourself into a hot dog eating competition if you’re truly eating at record times. 

Many college students enter school with expectations higher than Mount Everest. Nothing less is expected of CWRU students, as we are an ambitious and driven bunch. But it’s okay to not have it all figured out in your first, second—or even third year. What’s most important is to not lose who you are to the restless nights of studying and comparing ourselves to other’s successes. College is meant to be tough and, if it’s not, something isn’t right. So, instead of torturing yourself over an unexpected grade by cramming in more information, it’s okay to take a beat to recuperate, reflect and to come back stronger. Studying comes in many different styles. Explore those and find the one that works the best for you. But, also, find a hobby that works for you to destress and refresh your memory. There is such a thing as studying too much. Effective studying is quality over quantity. 

There may not be a calculated guidebook on how to find a hobby that you’ll enjoy. But there are hundreds of student clubs to choose from on campus, even some of the most niche sports—like Quidditch. Cleveland itself has so much to offer, being home to the Browns, Guardians and the Cavaliers. CampusGroups also offers experiences with the press of a registration button, like a Guardians baseball game, a hike around The Holden Arbortem or a trip to the University Farm, if you’re unsure of where to start. 

When it comes to taking care of your physical health and well-being while in school, you have to be cognizant of the food you are using as fuel. Most students select the unlimited meal plan at CWRU, at least in their first years, and that is a plan to be taken advantage of. It’s easy to skip a meal or to choose the more convenient dining options, like becoming a regular at The Den by Denny’s. But the meal plan offers more than just on-campus dining. CaseCash is supported by nearby eateries on Euclid Avenue, like Beyond Juicery and Eatery, Bibibop, Tacologist, Sittoo’s Pita and Salads and many more. If you’re not swiping, take advantage of CaseCash and the diverse kitchens Euclid Avenue has to offer. 

Every student is at a different stage of their college career, but it’s never too late to switch things up. You may never be able to get back those countless hours of studying. However, creating cherished moments with those you care about will stick with you and carry through stories and generations to come. College is about more than just doing well in classes. It is also about finding yourself, and a hobby might just be the way to begin. Not every detail can be calculated, and that is the beauty of life.