02/13/2020
by Arleigh Rodgers
Since I attend Ithaca College, I am finding that a balance between college work, sports practices and a social life has always been a priority for me. Despite a mounting workload, I have discovered ways to keep this balance alive and well. I decided to look back on this past weekend and think about the three main ways I make time for myself.
Spending time with friends
My roommates and I went to the Destiny Mall in Syracuse. I had never been there before, so it was fun to observe a place I had never been before. Of course, it was as typical as every mall, but the Destiny felt exceptionally larger, though perhaps that’s because I was so unfamiliar with it. In the end, it wasn’t about the location but about the time we had together. Because the mall in in Syracuse, it was a full-day event because we drove from Ithaca. It was exciting to have a new (albeit ridiculously familiar) experience.
Spending time by myself
I am definitely an introverted person, which means I need to spend some time with myself in order to recharge for the coming week. I usually work on Sundays at my school newspaper, so after putting in some time there, I went home, made myself a proper dinner, and watched the Oscars. (I was so excited to see “Parasite” win.) Sometimes my Sunday time for myself could include meal prepping for the week, but usually it consists of a movie or a book that I can enjoy myself.
Prioritizing work when necessary
Overall, the weekends are an excellent time for me to catch up on homework. Sometimes that means setting a timer and working for a while, and sometimes that means taking short breaks before diving back into my homework. What I did this past weekend was prioritize work on Friday before we jetted off to the Destiny on Saturday so that I wouldn’t need to worry about anything then. On Sunday, I read Song of Solomon for my English class during the commercial breaks of the Oscars. It was an easy and satisfying way to do something I needed to finish while also watching something I had looked forward to all week.
Sometimes taking time for yourself – whatever form that might be – is also a way to keep up your work-life balance. While it is still something I am working to achieve, I find the weekends are the best time to recalibrate before the week starts.
Arleigh Rodgers is a junior English major at Ithaca College. She is currently the assistant Life & Culture editor at The Ithacan, Ithaca College’s student-run newspaper. She enjoys reading, playing the piano and visiting the Ithaca Farmer’s Market every weekend.
