By Isabelle Ruff | Copy Editor
Living in an environment with tons of different organizations and opportunities, it’s easy to get sucked into too many time commitments.
The first priority in college is usually classes, with most students taking at least five per semester. Organizations are a great way to get plugged in on campus — these could be social, service or academic clubs. Many students have jobs, sometimes more than one, that fill up their schedule with work shifts. And don’t forget time to do homework for each of those five classes you’re taking. No one wants a nonexistent social life, either, so factor in time for friends in your calendar. Plus, there’s always laundry and cleaning to be done at home.
So how do we manage our time well, making sure we stay true to our commitments but don’t get dragged down with overwhelming busyness? You have to be OK with saying “no.”
There is an exception, however. Once you make a commitment, especially a professional one, you shouldn’t be OK with saying “no.”
When it comes to a job, you have already accepted the terms and conditions of your hiring. You are committed to the work you are asked to do, you are being paid for such work and a team of people is relying on you doing your part. Don’t take this lightly — following through with your commitment is paramount.
Before accepting a position, ask yourself: “Am I really up for this? Do I have the time to do this well?” Make sure you’re committing for the right reasons. Being busy for the sake of being busy is detrimental to your stamina and memory.
An article by the National Library of Medicine traced the connection between busyness and burnout: “Burnout finds that uncontrollable stress and feeling over-worked can disrupt not only cognitive performance but also interpersonal interactions and wellbeing.”
You have to pick and choose where you spend your time. This sometimes means saying “no” to things that you would rather be doing. Though I would much rather decorate my Christmas tree and watch “Home Alone,” saying “no” and rallying to go to the library is important in managing my time. Future me will say “thank you” that I’m not getting up early before my classes to do the work that I put off.
As crucial as it is to say “no” to what you would rather be doing, it is also crucial to say “no” to things that you don’t want to do. The way I see it, there are two reasons to do this: your friends want to do something that doesn’t interest you, or you have a class or assignment that you would rather skip.
Firstly, say “no” to peer pressure. It’s never a good excuse to say “I did it because my friend did.” It’s OK to not do something and take a night to yourself instead. It’s also OK to say “no” to your friends when there are other things you should be doing, like homework, or if you just need a night of self-care.
Secondly, it’s OK to occasionally say “no” to your classes. Prioritize what is important, and accept that sometimes you won’t have the opportunity to get everything done. You have skips for your classes and your organizations — use them.
Saying “no” shouldn’t be something to feel guilty about if you are staying true to your commitments, managing your time wisely and prioritizing what is most important.
