“Work hard and play hard” was the advice my old boss gave me before I left for my first year of college. Good advice, right? At first, I thought so. I mean, everyone knows college is a demanding time in a person's life. College students revel in the grueling routine. Never mind that sleep takes a backseat to maxed-out credits and weekend parties.
Yeah, yeah, we've all heard it before: Adults need at least six to eight hours of sleep per night and preferably nine in order to be functional, rational human beings. But who has time for that?
In order to graduate from Hillsdale College, we're required to take an average of 15 to 16 credits per semester, and we're expected to study at least two hours for every hour of class. That means academics are supposed to consume at least 45 of our waking hours each week—and that excludes any outstanding papers or tests. Add to that any number of hours spent in meetings, volunteering or working (all of which is supposed to make us “well-rounded,” of course). And forget about all the hours spent—30 to 40 per week—training and competing if you're an athlete. By the end of each week, we've given away anywhere from 50 to 90 hours of our lives.
And then we want—no, we need —our time to unwind. For some, this involves midweek and weekend parties with a beer (or 10); for others, this involves trips away or movies with friends. We try to repay our sleep debts on Saturday, but then Sunday comes around, and we're compelled to grab one more cup of coffee and hit the books harder than ever.
Our lack of sleep is accepted almost without question and often is even glorified. But should it be? How many of us place our value in how little sleep we need to survive—as though staying awake was some sort of ongoing epic battle?
I confess: I've rejoiced (in a masochistic sort of way) in my lack of sleep. I thought it somehow proved that I was a “real” college student. I was determined to max out my credits and stay up as late as need be to finish all my work. I took on more and more responsibility until I finally became overwhelmed by all I had required of myself. I began to question the worth of being Super-College-Student. I looked at my peers, a sad subsection of mankind with caffeine and nicotine addictions, bleary eyes and short tempers, and I thought simply, “Why?”
There is something almost romantic about living in those college extremes. But at some point, everyone will find their limit. I, for one, finally learned that I can't do it all, no matter how hard I try, no matter how little I sleep.
The other day, one of my co-workers, a senior, told me he finally forced himself this semester to take it easy and to “say ‘no.'” He cut back his credits and opted out of some extracurriculars, and he said it feels amazing to finally have time to sleep and to study properly. He said he finally feels happy and relaxed, and he'd never go back.
Another student I talked to, a sophomore, said he's been trying to find a balance between friends and academics. He said a professor advised him to remember that college is supposed to be fun and that academics isn't the whole ballgame.
Several other students told me they were pretty sure they'd remember crazy times with their friends and not that test they “only” got a B on.
Then again, there are those die-hard academians. To them I can only say: More power to you.
But as for my advice to the rest: Take it easy. Remember your sanity is the most important thing you have, and let that thought guide your decisions.
Trinity Graeser is a Hillsdale College junior majoring in philosophy.