For those who are wondering what I did for Fall Break, I am here to tell you that I definitely did not use the time to “get ahead” in my classes. As always, I agree that is important to work in the interest of one’s academics and career, but it is equally as important to “fill your tank,” so to speak.

Throughout high-school, I faced burnout repeatedly. Instead of allowing myself to recharge, I solely focused on academics and career-related endeavors. Worst of all, I very much avoided relationships and the use of emotional energy. This robotic lifestyle caused me to crash weekly by the time that Friday rolled around. Not only did I feel too exhausted to hang out with friends on the weekends, but I additionally felt too tired to have quality “me” time. Working too hard for too long made me no longer find joy in my academics. Even worse, my ability to focus decreased and the work that I produced was subpar at best.

In the last year, I have made a genuine effort to avoid burnout by taking deliberate and meaningful breaks from my work. For me, this means taking time-off as seriously as I take my course-load. In particular, this translates to my use of electronics. Something that bothers me the most about technology is the fact that anyone can access me at any time. I find this to be an invasion of personal time and of privacy. During the school-week and in-class, my attention is fully devoted to working and communicating with teachers and fellow students. However, during designated breaks, I refuse to let these people access me. Breaks from academics are there for a reason and should be just that: a break. If a teacher expects us to leave our personal lives outside of the classroom, then I request that they leave their curriculum out of my break time. To me, this is a matter of mutual respect.

I have found that my long-distance relationship has been the most enriching and helpful “break” in my life. While long-distance has its difficulties, it also has its perks. Carving out a designated time each night to call my S.O. forces me to step away from my textbooks back into the real world. During time off, I get to take this even further by traveling halfway across the country to visit him. There is something to be said for physically removing yourself from the atmosphere in which you generally work. The action of leaving campus makes it feel like very deliberate “me” time. In addition, it has forced me to develop a consciousness about how I am spending my time. I find that it is imperative to use the time off of school, especially short ones like Fall Break, as a chance to recuperate and work on personal happiness.

Long distance re-charging.

Ultimately, this is a philosophy that I will most certainly carry over into my career. I want my job to enhance my life, not consume it. What happens if I am laid off or want out of my career? What will be left? What makes my life feel fuller?

My relationships are what make me happy. Interacting with my family, my friends and myself will always be a priority because they are one of the most enriching components of my life. Maybe that will put other people ahead of me; I am sure that it will. But at least I know that I am playing an active role in cultivating my happiness.

Re-charging with friends.

I know that once I leave Scripps, I probably am not going to get seasonal breaks. Thus, it has been essential for me to understand that it is toxic to feel guilty for taking a break. Making time to relax needs to be a scheduled priority. So if you didn’t accomplish any schoolwork during the break, don’t fret!