By Carlineissa Jean Francois
My worldview is one filled with hopes, dreams, structure, and ambition. I am one of those people who like to plan their whole lives. My thoughts often sound like: “How are we going to do…” “what can I do to get…?” “I need to take this class to…” “I need to join this club…” It’s what I call structured chaos.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been this way—constantly thinking about the future and rarely letting go. I never really stopped to relax and enjoy the moment because I set high expectations for myself. I didn’t know how to have fun and do these things at the same time. It felt like I was in a race against time, wanting a million things but never having enough time to do any of them.
It wasn’t until I came to college that I learned the importance of taking a step back to breathe and allow myself to relax. When I first arrived, I was determined to excel and focus solely on my education, but I wasn’t having fun.
My friends all knew I was a homebody. I spent most of my first semester in my dorm, reading and bingeing Netflix shows. I was constantly stressing myself out about the future and what might happen if I didn’t stay laser-focus on academics. It didn’t take long for me to realize how overwhelming that mindset can be.
There’s nothing wrong with focusing solely on academics, but I realized I was feeling significantly burned out. College is one of those places where work-life balance is essential, And I was lacking in that “life” aspect. It was beginning to take a toll on my mental health.
Eventually, I started opening up to my professors and mentor. They helped me understand that while grades and academics are important, I also need to prioritize myself and learn to live in the moment.
At first, it was hard for me to step out of my comfort zone and try new things. I was always invited to hangouts and various campus events, but I rarely attended. Eventually, I reached a point where I began pushing myself.
Later in the year, I started to branch out. Thoughts of the future, along with fears and worries, were still present—but I’m now learning to manage them. I began spending more time with friends, joined a few clubs, and started attending events across the five colleges in the area.
I haven’t mastered the work-life balance just yet, but I’m slowly learning to let myself have fun and live in the moment. College is a time to explore, try new things, meet new people, and simply get out of your head.