For the last four years of high school, I’ve been working on getting ready for college. When I submitted my applications, I had a bunch of time on my hands. So I got creative.
I had spent the last year and a half incredibly busy. When I wasn’t resume building, studying for AP tests or prepping for exams, I was working on a seemingly endless pile of supplemental essays and personal narratives for college apps. I had gotten so used to being overworked, I had convinced myself I needed to be exhausted to feel productive.
Then it was over — all I had to do was wait for responses. At first, I spent most of my free time lying in bed rewatching John Mulaney specials. But it didn’t take long before I started to feel bored.
So I gave some new things a try. I spend an hour every day working on my sculptures for my studio art class. I found an old keyboard in my basement and am trying to teach myself piano. I can stretch, sleep in and cook myself meals. There’s no pressure of looming deadlines.
Once college starts, things will pick up again. But for right now, I’m enjoying feeling like my time belongs to me again.