As we near a less-threatening time of the pandemic, more and more students are starting to return to in-person classes. However, after being on Zoom for one year, this might be a little jarring. One big lesson I learned that I will carry over with me as we return to campus is this: I am not superhuman.
This may seem like a strange lesson. Of course I’m not superhuman, but sometimes I act like I am, and I push myself to a limit that I shouldn’t. Especially because we are online, I think I have more time than I usually would if I were on campus, and I’ve signed up for more clubs and taken on more responsibilities. This can be a good thing to an extent, but I have passed a limit that is far from reasonable. I wake up tired every morning. This exhaustion continues throughout my day, and I feel like I have no reason to be so tired, but then I look back at everything I’ve done, and that’s when I realize I have run myself ragged.
So, if you’re like me, be mindful of what you’re putting yourself through. Give your body and mind a break, and don’t try to be superhuman when we return to in-person classes. Go easy on yourself; the adjustment will be rough for some time. We can’t do everything we want or sometimes need to do, and that is ok—we are not superhuman.