College burnouts are real. It can happen after grinding for a big exam, working nonstop for a few days to get a big project done, or even just after following the same schedule for a while. You are not alone. I have felt this way before – I just couldn’t get going even though I have a busy day ahead of me. Through trial and error, I have figured out a few things that have worked for me that helped me get on with my tasks: If you feel down or unmotivated, try engaging yourself in nature. Stroll around lawn areas, parks, or your favorite spot outdoors. We are in sunny California, go be in the sun! If you can procrastinate on your phone for 30 minutes, you can get out and be with nature for 10. Nature truly has the superpower to rejuvenate us by reminding us that our moods can be like the seasons – Spring always follows Winter! If you desperately need to study but are distracted by so many other things you want to do, try the 5-minute method. Just tell yourself that you are only going to
Spring Retreat 2023 was by far one of the highlights of my BBSA experience, for reasons I never expected. Throughout my second year in Belles I served as a Social DB, and for this retreat, was tasked with the job of heading the Activities Committee. A couple months of planning and preparation later, I was wracked with anxiety about being so in charge– what if nobody had fun? What if we planned too much? Too little? What if someone gets hurt, what if I screw up as a host, what if quite literally anything negative happens? It was a very rigid, unforgiving feeling, and I was then left with the personal expectation that I was going to get there and not be able to enjoy myself because of this pressure. I was terrified of letting anyone down, especially so because this was the first weekend retreat Belles has hosted in years. If anything went awry, I felt fully unprepared to handle it, but at least I could say I had considered the worst. I tried to take solace in that semblance of control,