Hey, besties! Welcome to this week’s edition of Paige’s Page! I don’t know about the rest of you, but some of you that have asked me questions this past week—and also myself—are in a bit of a mid-semester rut. Right now we are approaching the daunting period right before spring break where it feels like nothing matters, the weeks are going by way too slowly. It’s still too cold and only so much time with others is tolerable. Right now I am not having the best time, but I know that soon I will get to sit in my house in New Jersey and disconnect for a week. And then once that happens, I will be back and better than ever! This week I am going to answer some of your questions about struggling right now. I hope that this helps a lot of you to know that we can—and we will—get through this together. <3
Hi Paige! I am so tired. How do I stop being so tired all the time?
Hey bestie, for the sake of transparency, I am writing this at an absolutely ridiculous hour of the morning. I am always tired, and it is 100% my own fault. I’m sure that this is something many of you can relate to as Muhlenberg students. We are always running around like chickens with our heads cut off. Always working, in meetings, catching up with friends, trying to take time for ourselves (and typically being unsuccessful). I, however, have always had an absolutely horrendous sleep schedule. I am way more productive in the evenings than I am during the day, so I end up working overtime because my procrastination can get the best of me. I also LOVE my alone time and the only time I am ever able to really be alone, just me and my fairy lights against the world, is after I turn off my lights and lay my head on my satin pillowcase. This time to myself would be better-used sleeping, because I never have enough of that and in the morning I regret the prolonged staring at my ceiling, thinking and processing my days. It is when I wake up in the morning that I have to try to come alive, and start my day. I am a coffee drinker, I realized it had turned into a bit of a caffeine dependency so I am trying to wean off of it, but that is certainly helpful for getting me up and ready for the day. Since coming to college I have also become a nap person. I take really short power naps if I have time to come back to my room during the day. They help a lot (only if you actually get up after though.) I also would try to give your body sleep when it needs it, which is much easier said than done. I know that if I need to go to bed at, say 11:30 (which is so early for me), I will if I have the ability to. Ultimately I know many of us put our other commitments before our own well-being. Please try to put yourself first; your body and your mind will thank you.
Hey Paige, how do I navigate feeling like a horrible person when I do one thing wrong one time while also being in a constant state of knowing I’m the baddest bitch alive?
Hi, bestie! I am actually obsessed with this question. I know personally, I can be really hard on myself on small things or even one slip up. It sounds like you are similar in that way. It’s really hard to be perfect all the time (like we are), and while we may try to handle every situation with grace, it is impossible for us to do everything the “right” way every single time. You are certainly not a horrible person for this. Even if you feel like you are the worst, you really are not. It was really great of you to acknowledge your slip-ups. The fact that you are open to learning and growing makes you a good person. A lot of people believe themselves to be the perfect main character in their own story, and the fact that you understand that you may make mistakes on your journey is really important to helping you become the best possible version of yourself. I would now like to move on to the second part of your question, while this is an anonymous advice column, I can say with certainty, that you are the baddest bitch alive and I am so glad you know it. You need to feel confident in the decisions you make, and that is really hard, so if you know you’re the best, that will make moving on from this mistake so much easier. Go easy on yourself, be kind to yourself, love yourself.
Hi Paige, I realize that when I’m struggling or times are tough, I speak in “we” terms, saying “we’re getting through it” or “we’re working on it.” Why do you think that is?
Hey, bestie! This is a really cool question, I love that we’re getting philosophical this week! I think that this has to do with the natural, human need for support and love. I feel that it is so much easier to get through hardship with others, feeling alone is the scariest thing to feel when having a difficult time. When you’re struggling it can feel like no one understands you or no one cares. Being alone is really hard, it feels like the only person you can count on is yourself, the only situations you have control over are your own actions. You hold yourself to a higher standard than you hold others to and so, “we” provides a kind of support system, even if it’s not real, it’s easier to digest. Personally, I feel when I do this I am removing myself from the hard things that are happening to or around me. It is easier to communicate these situations with others when you feel disconnected from them.
