Staying Grounded
Learn to trust the process.
by WAVERLY BRANNIGAN ★ MARCH 7, 2023
As young adults moving from our teens into our twenties—crazy, I know—life can feel overwhelming and just plain hard. There are so many expectations placed on us by so many different people, and trying to balance all of this can literally feel impossible. If you feel this way, take a deep breath because everything is going to work out.
First and most importantly, we have to recognize that it’s totally normal not to know what you’re doing. I speak from experience when I say this. When I started at Syracuse as a freshman, I was a psychology major on a pre-med track. Today, about a year and a half later, I’m a double major in Psychology and Magazine, News, & Digital Journalism. I offer this little ~anecdote~ with the hope of letting you know that switching things up while you try to find your interests is only going to benefit you in the long run! But, if you are one of those people who has always known what you want to do, keep on pushing forward. Follow your passions and curiosity, and don’t be afraid to try new things. You never know what might end up inspiring you.
Staying grounded is all about remaining calm and connecting to your inner self when you feel overwhelmed, but you don’t have to do everything alone. At school, you will probably meet the people you are going to be the closest with. Whether this is your roommate, people from class, or someone you happen to meet by chance, use each other as a support system! Since we are all students here, we have a common understanding of the workload and demands of classes. Beyond that, what else are friends for besides being there for each other? Take advantage of those within your circle, and remember to offer your support as well. Sometimes, helping someone else can remind you that everyone has their stuff and how normal those feelings are.
When trying to double-time as both a functioning adult and full-time student, it’s important to go back to your roots. Think about reconnecting with friends and family from home. Pick up your phone and give someone important in your life a quick call. I’m sure any friend or family member you have would be more than willing to offer you their advice and guidance. Beyond just getting advice, getting a small taste of home can be so therapeutic. Whether you’re from near or far, home always helps to bring back feelings of calmness, appreciation, and love–ultimately bringing down your stress levels.
Of course, there are so many ways to combat feeling overwhelmed. Personally, creating a gym routine and sticking with it is really helpful to me. Even when you might not be the most productive during the day, getting to the gym for a little immediately makes you feel like you’ve done something with your day–with the added bonus of being a healthy habit. Also, think about the ways that you best relax. Whether this be reading a new book, binge-watching your favorite tv show, or making something creative, try to set aside time for these smaller things you love. It’s so important to reclaim your hobbies, especially the things that you used to do all the time but started to lose focus on in college. This will draw you back to some simpler times and let you de-stress.
Staying grounded in today’s fast-paced world is all about an appreciation of the process and the smaller things in life. Let yourself relax when you feel overwhelmed, and remember that nobody has it all together 24/7. It’s everyone’s first time doing life, too, so remember to believe in yourself because you are more than capable.