Every day for the last three weeks before the biggest test of my life, my dad would barge into my room at 6 AM. I would respond with a grunt and a motion for him to turn my lights on, forcing me awake. Some days he would chuckle; some days, he would shake his head in awe. “You asked me to do this, you know,” he would always say.
He was right—I did.
I couldn’t get out of bed at this point without someone keeping me accountable. I’d been studying for nearly a year straight. This, on top of refusing to give myself weekends in order to squeeze more productivity out of my week, was not a recipe for a healthy brain that wanted to wake up before noon.
If I had just stopped and revaluated how I was doing, perhaps I could have prevented the burnout from getting as bad as it had. Maybe, I would have even been more productive in the long run.
I tend to start out each semester intent on these healthy habits. But as deadlines loom and the dread sets in, I snowball and sacrifice my wellbeing for success.
Not this time.
I’m using this post as a reminder to STOP occasionally.
My mental health is just as important as my grades-- even in the middle of exam season.
I need to prioritize my work-life balance.
If you relate to my story at all, perhaps you can try the same.
About the Author
Megan
Hey everyone! I'm going into my fourth year of psychology with the Faculty of Science. I joined hu because I want to make a positive impact on the university community by talking about mental health-- a topic I truly love.
I'm a people-loving introvert that spends her free time immersed in stories, whether it be video games, books, TV, or music. I also love to swim!