Not knowing how to rest without feeling behind.
NOT KNOWING HOW TO REST WITHOUT FEELING BEHIND.
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Remember those nights in the library, fueled by questionable coffee, staring at a problem set that felt insurmountable? Or the relentless pull to join one more club, take one more extra class, perfect that resume line? Even when exhaustion set in, truly resting felt like a luxury we couldn't afford. It was an internal alarm, always buzzing: someone else is studying harder, researching more, networking better. The quiet moments, meant for recharge, often morphed into frantic mental checklists of what wasn't done yet. This isn't just about heavy workloads; it's a deeply ingrained fear of being outmaneuvered, a constant race against an invisible clock. Trying to explain this relentless self-imposed pressure to anyone outside our bubble often results in well-meaning but unhelpful advice like "just relax." They don't grasp that relaxation, for us, often came with a hefty side of guilt, a nagging feeling that every moment not spent "being productive" was a step backward. This shared struggle, this peculiar inability to truly switch off without the shadow of academic or professional anxiety, is truly an "Only at an Ivy" moment. You are not alone in feeling this.