Strike a balance

University of Richmond students are successful in many ways: We're motivated, hard working, involved, dedicated and fun loving.

We work hard, play hard and rarely stop for a moment to catch our breath.

Between chaotic class schedules, involvement in student organizations and a seemingly endless agenda filled with things that need to get done, we come to the realization that balance isn't so easy to maintain.

Sometimes the high level of achievement we expect of ourselves, coupled with the stress of the college lifestyle, lead us to forget the basics that keep us happy and healthy in both body and mind.

We need to step back for a second and refocus. According to Counseling and Psychological Services records, the number of students seeking counseling services is increasing. In fact, it has almost doubled in the past decade.

As CAPS interns, our job is to increase student awareness of mental health issues. Each week we're going to write about a different topic with the goal of helping Richmond students achieve a better balance. We'll leave you with a little challenge each time.

This week, try to write down a schedule of what your ideal day would look like then take a moment to compare this with how you actually spend your time.

Are you spending four hours a day watching YouTube videos, only to realize later that you've got to decide between writing the paper that's due tomorrow and getting some sleep?

Or maybe you have 15 different extracurricular activities on your agenda, and find yourself frustrated because you never have time to just relax and grab coffee with a friend?

How can you reconcile the differences between what your day would ideally look like and how it looks right now?