It’s November! The fourth month of the first semester of my first year as a college student. And yet, here we are talking about taking a break. Here I realized how demanding Devcom is – physically, mentally, and socially. Since it is like a mix of social work and media, everything you do counts. There are a lot of things to consider like putting premium on accuracy and truth, staying true to your advocacy, and a whole lot more. Devcom is a very general discipline indeed.
As a freshman, I realized that rest should already be on my schedule. It’s easy to forget to breathe and just keep rolling, but that attitude will only make things worse. So, here are few things I do after a long week at school.
- Sit Awhile. I love this phrase. Do you still remember a time when you just sat with someone or even alone and just breathed freely, unwary of all the cares of this world? Elbi is a wonderful place for that. Just you and your soul, in sync. No phones, no distractions.
This is my favorite hack when I feel tired. There are days when I will really drop what I’m doing and sit awhile. I pray or lift a melody, talking to God and to myself. Drinking in my surroundings and the other things that I have missed due to busyness. It’s a wonderful experience, letting God speak to me and show me things. Sitting awhile opens our eyes and our hearts make room for something that we really, really need. So make time to be still, everyday. Let it be your kind of rest.
- Converse freely with friends. Dorm becomes a home because of friends. One thing I look forward to is to talk to my dorm mates about the day. Sometimes, we will just catch ourselves talking and laughing for hours. It’s so fun! A live and personal chat is better than Messenger. I love how you can be open and honest to a friend about any particular topic. We often share insights and opinions about the future, about our dreams, our irritations… anything.
So be sure to make friends. Don’t be afraid to be known, because that is what we are made for. We are made for communion with other people. But also, choose who you share your heart to. You can be everybody’s friend, but not everybody’s best friend. And as an iron sharpens iron, so a friend influences a friend.
- Go home. Dorothy said it. Going home to my province, to my city, to my family makes me feel like myself again. The travel time is also wonderful and relaxing (except the traffic). I like sitting on a bus, unmindful of the time and just taking in the surroundings. I like looking around while doing nothing. Hehe. But nothing beats the sense of familiarity of being in my own territory.
It takes me off the role as a student and gets me in the role as a daughter and a sister. I miss the free food! And so I make it a point to always go home every weekend, even if it’s costly. Besides, I have other responsibilities. And taking a break from school every week is a must. Even God rested.
Keep it in mind – play, then pause, before you hit play again. Rest is not just for the tired or for the exhausted. It is a necessity, like water. It replenishes us and keeps us alive. Rest, regardless if you are beat or not. Rest, because your body, mind, and soul needs some time to be still and breathe.
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