Hello friends. We have just entered one of the most challenging periods of the academic school year: The three-week stretch between Thanksgiving break and Winter break. Thanksgiving break is the breath of fresh air that keeps us motivated to push through the the stress of early November. If you’re like me, you spend the majority of November counting down the days until Thanksgiving; if I can just make it to that break, everything will be fine and I’ll be able to enjoy myself.

Like most people, the Thanksgiving break was not actually a “break:” There was still work to be done during the time off from school. I had a problem set, several papers to complete, and plans to get ahead ahead on studying to make the rest of the semester a little lighter. But somehow, time slipped away: A walk with the dog turned into a three-hour break of bonding with family. One day, I allowed myself a ten-minute study break, and realized Netflix had just released the reboot of Gilmore Girls. I told myself I could watch “just one episode,” as if I wouldn’t turn into a complete monster and binge-watch the entire series. I didn’t even process the fact that each episode was actually 90 minutes long. And once I’d gotten started, I couldn’t stop myself: Six hours later, I was still sitting in my pajamas, and hadn’t moved all day.

You probably wouldn’t be surprised that I had a rude awakening when I came back to school Sunday after a long day of driving up from the Bay Area. Not only did I derail from my ambitious plans to get ahead; I lost all motivation to continue plunging forward and finish the semester strong. Those four blissful days of sleep, time with my brothers and pets, and ignorant bliss from my academic responsibilities drained my routine, my stamina, and quite frankly, my drive to do anything besides watch How to Get Away With Murder. 

Once I’d finished unpacking and settling in to my room, I was forced to face the inevitable: I needed to work. It no longer mattered what I did; there wasn’t a system or an order anymore, as long as I got something done. I had to cross something —anything— off my ever-expanding to-do list.

I’ll just pull an all-nighter, I vowed. I’ll get everything done tonight, and be completely fine the rest of the week.

I looked dauntingly at the clock. It was only 9 pm; the night was still so young. But in the 30 minutes since I’d sat down, I’d only read five pages of a 300-page novel. There was no way I could just blaze through the text that night. Sadly, the long day of traveling had destroyed my energy. Staying up any later would not only lead to inefficient studying, but also an unnecessary lack of sleep.

I’ll just set my alarm early and get a head start in the morning, I told myself. I set the alarm for 5 am, figuring eight hours would be the optimal amount of rest. I could get the day started early, and knock out some much-needed assignments hours before my first class. I went to bed shortly after, disappointed in myself for my lack of drive, but determined to start the next day off right.

The sunlight woke me up the next morning. In a panic, I turned to my phone. The alarm had been on silent, and it was nearly 8:30.

I could have panicked about this moment. I could have been bitter about my phone’s alarm not sounding, and been completely distraught about oversleeping. I could have let the fact that I missed the opportunity to deal with my homework ruin the rest of my day. Instead, I chose to internalize this moment differently. I chose to celebrate the fact that I’d just gotten over 11 hours of sleep. The idea of getting even over six hours is music to a college kid’s ears. Now I could move forward with the day, more recharged and refreshed than ever.

I know that getting 11 hours of sleep every night, and binge-watching TV shows are unsustainable ways of life for a college kid. It simply cannot be done. Over the next three weeks, students across the Claremont Colleges will endure late nights finishing papers, cramming for exams, and rehearsing for presentations.

I’ve always admired the relentless work ethic of Claremont students, who sacrifice those precious extra hours of sleep to ace their finals. And I understand the need to stay up and be a little sleep-deprived to get through the final push of the semester. But I also can’t stress the power of a few extra hours of rest. Whether you’re catching up on a little shut-eye, or splurging on Gilmore Girls, taking a little extra time for yourself — even to do nothing — could possibly help preserve your mental stamina. Even though there’s a lot to do, it won’t be possible to complete without a well-rested body and mind, and sometimes a little R&R is just the ticket.