1. Even though you're a student, you cannot live off of Ramen noodles. You need to remember to nourish your body!
2. Sleep really is important and whether you get enough makes a difference. There's always some kind of school work to be doing and yes you probably could stay up until 2 am every night working on it but you shouldn't be sacrificing sleep to get it done.
3. It's OK to take a couple hours off to watch a movie with your roommates. I know it is easy to feel guilty about taking a break when there is so much to be done but hey you need to nourish all parts of yourself including your social self.
4. You can only stare at a computer screen for so many hours before you need to give your eyes a break. Go outside, get some fresh air and soak in that sunshine!
5. Finally, you will have some rough days where it seems like the world is against you. But guess what, tomorrow is a new day and it will be better. Call on your muses for inspiration, call a friend who can remind you how great you are and most importantly take a deep breath.
It has taken me 7 years of post-secondary education to finally buy into these things. I used to get frustrated when people would say "make sure you get enough sleep" or "take time for some fun". I'd think sure let me get right on that after I finish the readings, papers, presentations and online posts for the week. There never seemed to be time.
I still struggle with these things but I have come to realize it's a balancing act. Sure you do need to lose sleep, I think every grad student would say that's just part of being a grad student. But instead of getting 2 hours...make sure you get 6. Yes your social life takes a beating but chances are your friends understand (or at least the ones you've made in grad school) because they're in the same boat.
So don't be so hard on yourself and remember in the end that it will all be worth it!
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