Calm Within the Storm

It's officially that time of year, people. Between midterms, course registration, job hunting (for seniors), and, for the more proactive among us (wherever you're hiding), searching for summer plans, we could all use some serious personal time. A big part of college is learning to balance your life - it's something I'm learning now, and something so important for a healthy mindset and lifestyle. But how on Earth are we supposed to find the time to take care of ourselves and search for the perfect internship when we have two midterms, a paper, a project, and a quiz next week? (Based on a true story. My story.)

Well, I'm not gonna lie to you, I don't have all the answers. But I've made it this far without pulling my hair out, so I'll share my secrets, and some Tufts and Internet resources, so that you can keep crushing it without crushing your sanity. Let's all slow down for a second, let our hair down, and channel our inner philosophical hippie for the rest of this post.

Manage your time and balance your schedule. This is a lesson that I learned the hard way. Last year, I really struggled with managing school, work, extra-curriculars, and everything else that comes with being a college student. I started sacrificing my personal time, time to do the things I enjoyed, to keep up, and one day I woke up and realized that I couldn't remember the last time I did something just because I wanted to. So, I sought help. Some students may not know this, but the ARC offers a (free!) service called Time Management and Study Strategies (TMSS). TMSS hires graduate students as consultants who meet one-on-one with undergrads to help them manage their schedules and teach them about academic strategies, stress management, and general well-being. You can meet with TMSS consultants as frequently as you want, and can change consultants at any time. Last semester, I met with a TMSS consultant once a week for about two months, and she helped me in so many ways that I would recommend TMSS to any Tufts student. The biggest lesson I learned from my consultant was that making time for yourself to relax and destress is not a waste - it is an investment for your next study session, which you will approach with a clear head and renewed focus.

One of my favorite hobbies

Take breaks. This is another lesson I learned from TMSS. It sounds like such a nerdy thing to do, but planning breaks in advance will ensure that you stay on track, and prevent you from looking up from your phone after an hour of procrastinatory Facebook scrolling to find that your 10-page paper is nine and a half pages short. One technique that I've found to be extremely effective is the Pomodoro technique, a time management tool that's been popularized since its creation in the 1980's. The essence of the Pomodoro Technique is to separate your time into 25-minute working periods and 5-minute breaks. There are Pomodoro timer apps for the computer or smart phone, or you can just time yourself with a stopwatch. This isn't the only time management technique out there - a quick Google search will give you dozens of options for you to explore. If you need ideas for what to do on breaks, I'm a frequent user of Calm.com, a site that offers guided meditation sessions for various lengths of time, from 2 minutes to an hour. (It's not as hipster as it sounds, I swear.)

I can post non-Parks and Rec/30 Rock/Friends images, too!

Set aside time for your self-development. If the thought of doing nothing for an extended period of time makes you laugh out loud, there are ways to make breaks productive. One thing that you can do is take a few minutes to think about your career development process. It doesn't have to be a long break - you can do something as simple as scroll through Jumbo Jobs for a few minutes, or draft an email to a recruiter or an alum. This will allow you to take a break from homework and inch your way closer to your career goals. That way, when it comes time to apply for internships or find a job, you'll have already started the process and can finish it with as little stress as possible.

Nothing about this part of the college experience is fun, but it's something we're all going through. But throughout the next few weeks, take some time to relax, take a break, and think about yourself for a minute or five. Your psyche will thank you.

You knew it was coming.

Until next time,
Sean Boyden
Class of 2017