Alicia Meehan, opinions editor

Berry’s students are often described as being “Berry Busy.” Students are presented with a lot of opportunities to fill out their schedules including academics, LifeWorks positions and clubs. Many students pack their schedules so they don’t miss out on anything, but it can quickly become too much, leaving students burnt out. The “Berry Busy” culture can easily tip over into toxicity as students end up prioritizing jobs, academics and resume opportunities over their mental health.

When it comes to academics, it can be easy to overload yourself with credit hours. Students must be registered with a minimum of 12 credit-hours to maintain full-time status. Students average around 15-16 but go up to 18-21 in extreme cases. That much class, lab and coursework will overwhelm any person rapidly.

It may seem like a good idea to stack up credits per semester and hurry towards graduation, but it can easily ruin those plans when it becomes too much to handle and your grades plummet. Along with mental strain, overloaded schedules can leave little room for physical recuperation.

For many students, the subject that they are majoring in is something that they are passionate about. Learning new things in major specific classes can be really fun. If those students that love learning begin overworking themselves, that passion can quickly go away. Even if you want to pack your day learning things you enjoy, make sure to include breaks because burnout can destroy any amount of enjoyment.

Being sure to leave time between classes to get three meals in, take snack breaks and maybe even naps is essential.  Students need to be sure to take their time and take on the right amount of coursework that they can handle and
excel with.

Freshmen are generally assigned a LifeWorks position when they begin their first fall semester. The placement is based on a survey the incoming freshmen take and LifeWorks assignment can be opted out of. While not a lot, on-campus jobs provide a constant income which fuels student’s meals and more. A grand majority of students will work under LifeWorks for all eight semesters, but it’s not mandatory.

With most students living in dorms on campus and dining being included in tuition, the biweekly check from a LifeWorks job isn’t strictly necessary for all. It’s completely okay to take a semester, or more, off to lessen the mental load of college life.

Aside from on-campus LifeWorks jobs, students will also apply for normal jobs outside of the school. Due to LifeWorks’ low salaries, students seek out more revenue, further packing their schedules. Even more students take on multiple LifeWorks positions instead. For students who can’t afford to lose out on opportunities to make money, these jobs are
very important.

In addition to academics and jobs, the “necessary” evils, students have many options for student-led clubs. Clubs can meet weekly, monthly or some combination of the two. Students who make a commitment to one or several clubs might feel obligated to attend all meetings held, but it’s okay to prioritize your mental health over club attendance.

More than missing a couple meetings, it’s okay to quit clubs completely. As the semesters progress, work piles on higher, leaving little room for both mental recuperation and attending club meetings. Students should always choose to keep their mind at ease and avoid burning out. Attending a club with a headache  and an overworked brain isn’t any fun anyway.

Students might feel the need to overfill their schedules so they don’t miss out on the plethora of opportunities that Berry provides. LifeWorks jobs are typically related to the careers that students want to pursue post-graduation. Along with that, certain club membership and leadership positions are great to flesh out a student’s resume. Missing out on these things can lead to “FOMO” for students, both for missing out on experiences for their resumes and the fun that they could be having with their friends at the clubs and more; but students must always put their mental health first, otherwise the rest of the activities won’t be worth it as they’ll be too burnt out to enjoy any of it.