Summer Break & Social Stress
As a college student, life is all about balance. Too much time stressed out and not enough time relaxing is not only simply unpleasant but also detrimental to one’s well-being. That’s why my excitement grows as the first weeks of summer approach and the stress mess of finals weeks begins to fade away. Finally, I have the chance to take a step back and find time for myself free of obligations.
Throughout the school year I find myself constantly craving nothingness. At college, it’s easy to become wrapped up in the papers, readings, projects, exams, meetings, and presentations that pile up during the week. Then, the weekends are spent socializing with friends and forgetting about said academic stressors until Sunday comes around and hits you harder than the hangover you’re nursing.
The first few weeks of summer are supposed to be the antithesis of this: time to enjoy hobbies, start that show on Netflix, and really invest in the whole self-care thing. However, those blissful first moments of nothingness begin to fade as the minutes tick by. My mind wanders to all the fun spontaneous things I should be doing right now.
How could I be stressed? I am literally doing NOTHING. But that’s the thing. I feel like I’m doing nothing – absolutely nothing.
For me, the stress comes from this pressure to entertain myself and present this entertainment on social media. As millennials, we are expected to share our lives and post for our followers—proving that we are enjoying ourselves…because not posting obviously means that we are unhappy in whatever we are doing, right?
I know I am guilty of estimating someone’s happiness from what they post on social media. However, this then creates a pressure on myself to continually prove to my followers that I am loving life—even in the times when I’m not exactly happy. This pressure to maintain my social media presence paired with the struggle to entertain myself in suburbia creates a weird pit of stress during what should be the blissful first weeks of summer.
I’m aware it’s insane to be stressed over these things, but I simply can’t help it. I feel as though I need to be documenting and sharing things: going to lunch with friends results in an insta story, hiking with friends results in a post and maybe even a snapchat story. When these curated posts do not come, I begin to worry that people will think I am unhappy and having an unfortunately dull summer. But these first weeks of summer are my chance to finally be alone and have a moment to myself after spending an entire school year surrounded by people and overstimulated by social interactions.
During the first weeks of summer, I start to miss being busy and crave the stimulation of that never-ending collegiate social and academic scene. I am stuck wanting what I once had. Relaxation is simply too much. I need that excitement—and dare I say it—stress. I want a reason to post on Instagram or update my snapchat story. I crave something to keep me occupied.
However, now as my life picks up again due to the start of summer jobs and internships, I find myself waiting for the weekends when I know I can do nothing once again. The idea of nothingness always seems so ideal until it becomes my reality. Then the supposed peace shifts into the same stress of a full week of classes, work, and social obligations.
By: Lilly Delehanty
Duke Student, pink purveyor and resident expert on surviving and thriving