As college students, it is hard to create a balanced life. With juggling jobs, classes, social life and time to regain our composure, it’s hard to find time for it all. You can’t choose to skip sleeping because then you get sick. When you get sick, you miss work and class, and then all the sudden you are four assignments behind wishing you could drop out without it affecting your future.

Growing up, college was pushed down our throats. The baby boomers told us we won’t make it in the real world without a solid education, good grades and a positive attitude. While I am thankful that my parents and others from their generation stressed how important a good education is, it is a lot easier said than done.

It is important to remember to compromise. I’m not saying you should skip a class to go to work or skip both to go out with friends. But balance is important to success. In the wise words of my wonderful high school psychology teacher:

“Understand the balance of an unbalanced life.”

Being someone who thrives when in control, it is hard to understand when a certain part of my life needs to give a little. Echoing the thoughts of most students, Maddie Heckathorn, a senior psychology student, said, “If I don’t socialize I become a hermit for weeks on end which then leads to me skipping class and dreading work.”

Even though we understand that a healthy life requires balance, an unbalanced schedule makes this hard to accomplish. The constant push of the college agenda doesn’t make this any easier.

The U.S. is so focused on income and creating a career you can maintain for the rest of your life that many people forget to consider mental health as an important factor of success.

Go to college. Get a job. Don’t be lazy. But don’t forget to hang out with your friends because you are only young once. It is all so contradicting that the balance is lost in a mess of demands.

Being aware of your mental health and understanding that sometimes relaxing a little makes the stress much more bearable. Hopefully, this will then lead to a happier, healthier life.