Sabrina W.

Photography by Shawn Bulloch

If you’re reading this, it’s okay to not be busy.

For as long as I can remember, I have had a hard time accepting that it is okay not to be busy. The need to stay constantly occupied became even more obvious after I got my driver's license in high school. Suddenly, I could drive myself to every extracurricular activity, every job, and every obligation without pause. Surprisingly, I was not pressured by my parents to do it all. The drive to stay constantly active came entirely from within. I set high expectations for myself, always chasing productivity and filling every hour of my day.

That pattern did not stop when I started college. If anything, it became even more intense. Now, as I prepare to enter my junior year, I am beginning to understand something I wish I had learned much earlier. It is not only acceptable to rest, it is absolutely necessary. Over the past two years, my life has been centered around studying, working, and being involved in various activities. And while I have truly enjoyed many of the things I have done, I am starting to realize that I have left very little room for rest and reflection.

I have always heard people say that you will work for the rest of your life, so you should enjoy college while you can. But that message never really made sense to me until now. Constantly pushing myself has only led to exhaustion and made it harder to be present. It is difficult to build strong relationships or even appreciate the things I love when I am always running on empty.

From now on, I want to be more intentional with my time. I still care deeply about the work I do and the activities I take part in. But I also understand that rest is not something extra. It is something I truly need. Moving forward, I plan to create time to slow down, to breathe, to recharge, and to reconnect with the people and parts of my life that matter most.

Sabrina W., University of Georgia

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