Now is the time to avoid new commitments like a politician dodges shoes.
Studying in Chapel Hill as the academic year accelerates means being presented with far more opportunities than any one person can pursue well.
FallFest is perhaps the worst offender. Each booth promises personal growth and contribution to the community good. Learn to kickbox! To advocate! To write poetry! It’s tantalizing. And dangerous.
Opportunities like this are wonderful individually. But trying to balance many at one time (especially in addition to classes, relationships and jobs), is a recipe for stress. Worse, it’s an easy way to end up sacrificing the quality of each commitment — and to miss reaping the rewards of dedication.
The extraordinary value of extracurricular activities (or curricular activities, for that matter) comes from really taking part in them. Showing up to a bare minimum of events works for keeping an activity on a resume, but it’s no way to develop or enhance a passion.
By contrast, earnest time investment can pay off quickly. The big turnover in college organizations means leadership roles and responsibility are almost guaranteed to faithful participants.
“Good, fast or cheap: pick any two” goes one maxim about project design.
A similar scarcity principle holds true for designing a college agenda.
Explore your limits, but make sure to at least pick ‘good.’
