Put down the textbook & take a break

“William & Mary students are passionate and ambitious.” Whether or not you are currently a member of the William & Mary community, if you have heard anything about the students here, you will have likely heard variations of this same phrase over and over again. We are involved in many different organizations, participate in research, and volunteer in the Williamsburg community.

I love all of these things about my peers, and it is inspiring to go to a school with so many driven individuals. However, it is also easy to become overwhelmed by such a busy schedule. This year especially, I have sometimes found it difficult to balance school work, extracurricular commitments, social life, and rest. During midterm season, when all of my important deadlines seem to fall on the exact same day, assignments and projects start to consume all of my time.

That’s why my advice to all students, including myself, is to take a break. Take lots of breaks. Put down your textbook, leave the library, and spend quality time by yourself or with friends. Get off campus for an afternoon! You could take a short walk through Colonial Williamsburg or maybe go on a weekend road trip to Virginia Beach! School work and grades are obviously important – like I said, William & Mary students are driven – but in the end, your grades will not be the most defining aspect of your time here. I don’t regret spending Saturday mornings at the farmers market instead of at the library; I don’t wish that I had spent a few extra hours studying instead of going on an impromptu trip to Richmond; and I definitely don’t feel bad about spending an entire Saturday hiking Old Rag Mountain in Charlottesville with my friends.

Taking in the beautiful views from Old Rag Mountain

Spent an afternoon with friends in Richmond, VA visiting the Edgar Allan Poe Museum

Sometimes you need a change of scenery to rest and recharge, and I find that taking breaks makes me less stressed and more productive in the long run. These experiences have become some of my favorite memories of my time at W&M. Years from now, I doubt that I will remember what grade I got on my statistics midterm, but I will remember all of the adventures I had with my friends here.

So, here’s to taking breaks!