The Value of Doing Absolutely Nothing

After my girlfriend’s last final, we found ourselves in a rare situation: we were (mostly) free of all responsibilities for a few days, able to do whatever we pleased until it was time to leave. But, most of our friends had left for the holiday already, or were studying rigorously for their last finals. We ended up spending many nights watching random videos, eating snacks, and snoozing. It was pretty great.

At home now, I have so much time for myself. There are also things I told myself I wanted to get done–take photos, make art, apply for internships, catch up with friends. At the same time, it’s relieving to simply have a break from a hectic college schedule. Over the course of the semester, I found myself in a cycle of scheduled classes, meetings, and homework taking up nearly every minute. No longer inundated with these tests and papers and club meetings and work for a few weeks, this holiday break is a perfect time to relax and refresh.

Even though our society looks down upon doing something that isn’t “productive,” taking moments for yourself is important. Taking time to breathe or reflect can be helpful as well, perhaps even insightful. Doing nothing is powerful. Whether it’s reading a book, watching movies, taking a much-needed nap, or even daydreaming, I think we can all benefit from a little self care.