Avoid burnout: balance your extracurriculars

School is officially back in session, which means due dates are being set and students are hitting the ground running. Clubs are setting up their first meetings for the academic year, the first shifts at new jobs have been posted and the responsibilities as students are coming at us at full speed.
It is easy to be swept up into the excitement of the new year, especially when it comes to the extracurriculars Chadron State has to offer, be it athletics or the arts, or any activity in between.
Involvement is an important part of college, as it allows you to meet new people who share a common interest with you while also participating in activities that you can add on to your resume. But, it is also important to not get overwhelmed with responsibilities when you may not have the time.
When signing up for extracurriculars for the year, keep your sanity in mind and take a look at the time you have available to dedicate to a club, sport or organization.
Sure, one activity may sound like a lot of fun now. You may not be too busy right now, or maybe you have several friends in one particular club.
Before signing up, though, take a step back and look at your schedule.
If you have a job either on or off campus, how many hours a week are you working?
With your classes, how many credit hours are you enrolled in and how much are you going to need to study?
As for what the club entails, try to get a hold of a club member, officer or adviser and find out more information. How often does the club meet? As a member, what are your responsibilities? What are the time commitments needed for the club?
These are some of the small questions you should ask yourself before signing up for an extracurricular.
Looking introspectively to ensure your availability to dedicate to a club before putting your name on the line to be a club member will save you and others stress down the road.
When you sign up, those people will count on you to play your part in the organization. If you can’t deliver, you will be putting stress on both you and those relying on you, which is a lose-lose situation for all involved.
Some people thrive on staying busy, and others need to have plenty of time to themselves.
Free time to do small tasks like tidying your house, watching a few episodes of “Stranger Things,” going grocery shopping or grabbing a cup of coffee with a classmate can make all of the difference in preventing excessive stress, and it is important to know what you can do to prevent yourself from getting overwhelmed.
Get involved, but only to the point in which you feel comfortable. If that means choosing one club to focus on, or trying your hand at four different clubs, get involved to the extent you want to, not just for the sake of tacking onto the back page of your resume.
For your sake, try and find your balance this year to help you succeed as a student.