When What You Do for Fun Isn't Fun Anymore

If you have spoken to me within the last week, you know that I am going through a major period of burnout. I’m feeling zero creativity and zero productivity. I even made a little YouTube video about this in recent days.

Ah, burnout. It’s something we will all face and struggle with at some point.

How did you decide on a major? Probably because it was something you were good at and enjoyed and thought you could do forever.

My thing is writing. I've been writing little stories since I was a kid, but I didn't decide it was what I wanted to do with my life until just a couple of years ago.

I love it. So much. I get a tremendous high off of completing projects and then getting them published. I'm driven by the overwhelming sense of accomplishment I get from finishing a piece. 

Photo credit: Katie Wade.

And…honestly, I don't know if this is straight up pride or just healthy motivation…but when people tell me that they like my writing, I want to write more. It feels good. It feels right. I enjoy it. And I don't want to stop.

Now I'm at a point where I’m not just writing for fun. I am majoring in both history and mass media, so all of my major homework is assigned writing. I’m also taking a foreign language this year…so more writing. On top of that, I write for and maintain this blog for the Washburn Review.

Yay. Writing.

So. I’m just feeling burnt out. My creativity is at an all-time low and it’s not even October. I’m worried. I catch myself wondering how I am going to keep this up.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to stop. I really love what I do. I’m not rethinking my dreams or anything.

But I’m at a point where there is so much happening… It feels like all of these words are being ripped from my mouth and there are none left for me to say for myself.

Photo credit: Katie Wade.

It’s exhausting.

So what do you do when the thing you do for fun isn't fun anymore? What do you do when it starts to feel more like a chore? How do you get your spark back for the thing that burns you out?

I usually need to take some time to refocus my energy. I have to take a break from the thing and pursue something else creatively for a little while.

Fall break is coming up this weekend and it is just what I have been needing. So, maybe I’ll focus on videos or practice my photography skills. Maybe I’ll finally get started on my ‘To Be Read’ book pile. Or…maybe I’ll just buy a new coloring book.

However I choose to spend the break, I am excited to come back refueled with energy and creativity for the thing I love to do most – write.

Thank you guys for reading this post and I’ll see you in two weeks.

KW

People Need People

I'm a big believer in destiny. Or, maybe not destiny...but in meaningful coincidences. It's funny when coincidences perfectly align. There's no way it's meaningless. It is intentional. Life intends for us to be in this moment because every moment before it has led us up to this exact point. Life has done this for a reason.

Nothing is meaningless.

The coincidences aligned once again in an obvious fashion this week. This coming Monday will be my birthday. Last weekend a ghost materialized. This week is National Suicide Prevention Week - in fact, today is World Suicide Prevention Day!

These are all connected, I promise. Allow me to explain.

I’m turning nineteen. Which is nothing special, I’m sure. I won’t gain any new allowances with the United States government. I’ll still be a teenager. No big deal. But then I flipped my thinking from what nineteen will bring to what nineteen has brought. Life has changed so much in nineteen years - especially in the area of my relationships. In a matter of just five years, my group of people has completely changed. I can count the number of friends from five years ago that I still have today on just one hand.

And for a while this made me very sad.

This weekend I met up with a friend who completely disappeared from my life almost a year ago. I thought she was gone forever. But she recently reappeared. We were able to meet up and address some very important life topics. It felt so strange at first…surreal. Of course, it could take some time and work to rebuild that friendship. But at the moment, I am just grateful. I got lucky. I am lucky that she reached out to me again.

The occurrence of this reunion a time where I was realizing drastic changes in my friendships was certainly no coincidence.

I learned a fundamental lesson. A fact of life.

People need people.

I spend far too much time telling myself that I don’t need people, that I can do it myself, and I spend far too little time telling myself that I do need people, that I can’t do it alone. Nowadays, I have a very difficult time letting myself get attached to people. I put up walls and set distant boundaries so that the pain hurts a little less if things go awry. But that is very costly.

It costs community and support. Essentials to surviving.

The truth is that I need people. You need people, too. We need each other.

Life is not easy. It cannot be done alone. We need people to share our stories with, build us up, and remind us of our truth and worth.

Tying this together… This week is National Suicide Prevention Week. The Washburn University chapter of TWLOHA (To Write Love on Her Arms) will be tabling in the Memorial Union Monday – Friday from 11AM – 1PM. It is a core belief of the organization that people need other people for the very reasons mentioned above. Stop by the table this week to make friends and learn about mental health.

And as this is World Suicide Prevention Day... Take a moment to remind people that you care. Send smiles to the people you pass on the sidewalk. Hug someone who might be struggling. Text an old friend. Call your siblings. Perform a random act of kindness.

"Be kind; for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." - John Watson

"Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, the least costly, and the most underrated agent of human change." - Bob Kerrey

"When you look at a person, any person, remember that everyone has a story. Everyone has gone through something that has changed them." - Unknown

Five Major Reasons to Get Involved with Your Campus

Today is a special day on campus! The Activities, Majors, & Study Abroad Fair is happening today in the Washburn Room! From 10:00AM to 2:00PM, you can come and explore the many opportunities for growth and achievement that Washburn has for you. With this event in mind, today's post is about getting involved. Here are five major reasons to get involved with your campus:

      1.     Involvement Gains You Experience in Teamwork and Leadership

This is the most fundamental reason you should get involved in college, especially if you were not as involved in previous school years. Participating in campus activities and organizations will help you to develop some very critical skills for the professional world. When the time comes for you to enter that world, the ability to work well on a team will be essential. Getting involved will get you to practice these abilities early. Through participating in an organization you will develop better communication and interpersonal skills. You may even work your way up to a position of leadership.

      2.     Involvement Can Help You Earn and Maintain Scholarships

Many scholarships like to know how their applicants and awardees invest their time. They like to know that the award is going to a dedicated person who works hard and has a heart for their community. If you are investing in your community and your campus, you are likely to be considered a good candidate. Some scholarships will require you to volunteer and do extra service projects. Washburn has some great opportunities for involvement in the community that cover multiple fields.

      3.     Involvement with Campus Activities and Organizations Looks Good on Your Resume

Don't forget to mention the different organizations and activities you take part in on your resume! Being an involved student can give your resume some extra pizazz. As participating in a campus organization can gain you skills in leadership and team work (as well as communication and community connections), employers will look for your areas of involvement and will likely bring it up in your interview. Your involvement on campus counts as professional experience too. So be sure to emphasize it and use it to make yourself stand out.

      4.     You Meet More People by Getting Involved and Participating

This one is a given. By participating in campus and community activities and organizations, you mean people – lots of people! You may even meet people that you wouldn't consider getting to know otherwise. Getting involved can broaden your horizons and gain you experience in working with people of all types. That is an extremely important skill to have in the professional world, by the way. And hey, you just might make some new friends at the same time!

      5.     You Make Professional Connections in Your Community by Getting Involved

Lastly, getting involved in activities and organizations is the easiest way to make professional connections in your immediate area. Your campus community and the community surrounding it make up your first professional playground. Explore! Volunteer for something that’s a bit out of your comfort zone. Do it for the experience. Those first professional connections will act as your foundation for future careers and success. Get involved and get that experience early.