This is my first year at UW-Madison as a transfer student and I was on a booked schedule to graduate on time. This past Spring, I took 18 credits in the School of Business. I felt burnt out every night, I lashed out on my roommates, and overall was unhappy.
Towards the middle of the semester I hit a low and had a full on breakdown. I decided to take a step back and look at myself. I was up late, didn’t do anything for myself, and was always guilty if I wasn’t studying. The big problem was that I was not taking care of myself. So, I decided I was going to dedicate 60 minutes to doing something for myself, whether that be watched a movie or TV show on Netflix, getting my nails done, or reading a book.
After a few weeks of doing this I felt a change in my mood, and my roommates agreed. I was in a routine and excited for my “me time.” Aside from giving myself 60 minutes, I routinely treated myself to facemasks, tea, and long showers to destress. I learned if you keep burning yourself out and overworking, it is not efficient and overall detrimental to your health. So, take care of yourself! The world will keep spinning and you will be okay.
