Editor’s note: The College Voice is bringing back the classic advice column in a big way! Ask Suze, our in-house relationship and lifestyle guru, all the questions you’ve been mulling over. Send Suze your questions at www.sayat.me/CCCollegeVoiceAdvice.
My boyfriend and I met here at Conn, but with graduation coming up, I’m worried about what’s to come. Any advice on big transitions like this?
First of all, congratulations on having successfully navigated this strange hook-up culture we call the Conn social scene and on finding a fellow Camel who makes you happy. Second of all, I am a firm believer in thinking about what your goals and dreams are and how you are going to make them a reality. This might come along with making some personal sacrifices. You are about to embark on a confusing/exciting/scary time where you really start to figure out what field you want to work in and where you want to be in life. It’s so important to think about what is ultimately going to make you happy professionally or personally. Sometimes, that means taking advantage of opportunities and letting go of some others. If your goals and your boyfriend’s goals align, that’s awesome, and I wish you the best of luck. But if you think that your post-grad plan might involve traveling the world or moving across the country, it might be wise to think about how you can make things work or how to appreciate the start of a new adventure. Ultimately if this is a person who truly cares about you, the support will be there no matter what.
How do you keep work/play balance?
Anyone who knows me knows that I have struggled with this my entire time at college. I’m actually sitting in the library right now while I could be doing college things. But maintaining balance is important if you hope to keep your mental sanity during your time here. My best tips would be to prioritize what is the most important to you and to try to build your work around that. If there’s a specific event that you’d like to attend or a gathering with your friends that you need to go to, factor that into your weekly plan when you’re trying to figure out when to work on assignments. While school does come first, you’re not going to do well if you are losing your mind with stress, and having a social life (whatever that entails for you), is also an important part of college. Over-scheduling yourself with clubs also isn’t the way to go. Learn how to say “I’m sorry, I can’t” and think about which activities are the most important to you. Do those, and you’ll ultimately be happier and probably have a little less on your plate as well. Figuring out balance is pretty challenging, but it is the key to not driving yourself crazy during college. •
