"We were not made to be machines." | A UNC-Chapel Hill Student's Advice on Balancing Life

We had the privilege of interviewing AW via Google Doc and asked for some experience about: Balancing Life

AW is currently a student at UNC-Chapel Hill majoring in sociology and psychology.

Here are some pieces of wisdom she shares:

• "I should’ve looked harder for the right people to surround myself with."

• "I know my limits and it’s not healthy to be a machine so I never worked myself to death."

Q: What would you say were your priorities and do you think they helped you stay focused?

A: I’m Christian so I know my identity is in being God’s kid, not my accolades. The pressure to compete and achieve didn’t really hit me that hard because I knew that if I just did my best, God would do the rest. General priorities were definitely mental health and sleep, which are very closely linked. I know my limits and it’s not healthy to be a machine so I never worked myself to death. Setting healthy boundaries about studying was really important and it has served me well to this day in college.

Q: What are some regrets that you have about your high school career?

A: I should’ve looked harder for the right people to surround myself with.

Q: How did you manage to handle the stress, anxiety, and the schoolwork?

A: I did what I needed to when I had to recharge. For me it was through music. I was honest with myself about my limitations and I had a good support system that reminded me I was a lot more valuable than what I could put out in terms of grades and extracurricular contributions.