Take a Break
Kenyon can be overwhelming. Almost all students here are involved in tons of different activities. They find themselves in meetings, participating in sports or at club functions. These hours spent outside the classroom usually translate to hours trying to catch up. This usually means no sleep. The first thing you will give up when entering college is a sleep schedule. There will be nights where you get to bed at a reasonable hour and there are nights where the muttering of “reasonable” is accompanied by a sarcastic “ha”. This all comes with the territory however. Kenyon by its very nature is a busy place, and that is the way the students like it. This post is not to persuade you away from joining groups, on the contrary. The aim here is to make clear the implications of being involved. I feel it is necessary to be involved at Kenyon to get the full experience, but something has got to give. That is where breaks come in.
A scheduled practice or club activity is not a break. Those things are on the calendar, you can see those coming a mile away. Those things although not schoolwork, are not breaks. I am talking about a REAL break. The kind which pops up exactly when you need it, almost spontaneously as if it new you were feeling stressed. If your roommate is driving to Chipotle for dinner, go with them. It is good to get away from campus before coming back to work. If you really need to go on a run, take one. Your work, unless under a deadline can wait. I will use my friend Eddi as an example. Last week my parents visited campus and my roommates and I were going to go out to dinner. Eddi initially said he had too much work to do and couldn't go out to eat. After a little coaxing, he came with and does not regret his decision. It is that quality time spent with other people that we seek. Whether it is a Pierce bagel at 3pm or a dinner with the folks, take those breaks. Do something for you. It not only helps your mental health but your studies will improve. Learn how to manage time, but save a little extra for the number 1. Anyway, I am going to go to dinner with my friends. Breaks are just something to think about when coming to Kenyon. Oh and here is what my mom eats when she is on break. You go mom (ignore the Wooster sweatshirt).
