The Dread of Doing Nothing and Everything

What kind of life do you want to live?

Karina Herrera-Cavazos

We all reach a point in our life when we have to ask ourselves an important question: what kind of life do you want to live after you graduate? Would you prefer an ambitious life as you work hard for your personal goals? Or a quiet life of no responsibilities to relax after enduring countless hours of studying?

For some, that first question may be easy to answer. And for others, like me, the answer is complicated.

To look at the issue more holistically, let's take a look at the pros and cons of each lifestyle. The go-getter life might already be familiar to you. It's very common for undergraduate students to be involved in extracurricular activities and have part time jobs on top of going to school full-time. This is not an easy task, as I'm sure many are aware! It can be exhausting and also be the cause of burnout. However, you are more likely to feel fulfilled if you take on extra opportunities outside of academics.

On the flipside, having a life of leisure and relaxation sounds very appealing. Not having to worry about turning in that physics assignment you've been procrastinating can seem like a godsend! However, there can be too much of a good thing. After a while of no duties, it can start to feel like your life has no direction, and you may start to feel bored.

These two contrasting lifestyles give us two things that we all need as humans: a sense of purpose and opportunities to rest. Personally, I wouldn't choose either of these extremes; they both are unsustainable in their own ways. Therefore, I think it's best if people are able to have the best of both worlds: a life of meaning through taking on challenges and opportunities to rest when needed. After all, everyone needs some amount of work and play in their life.