Ask Acronym: Overcommitment, Roommates, and Relationships

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What do I do if I’m so overcommitted that I can’t start my homework until 10 check and I stay up until 3am every night, but I also can’t quit any of the current activities I’m in?

IMSA can be a very stressful environment, so time management is essential in maintaining your physical and mental health. Extracurriculars are supposed to be entertaining instead of stressful. I suggest taking a step back and thinking about all the activities you’re involved in, then prioritize the ones you believe are the most important. If there are too many activities, then you might need to lighten your load a little bit so that you can also focus on homework/school.  Even though you can’t quit any of your activities, talking to the head of each activity might be helpful. They might let you take a break from meetings and events for a little bit if you let them know what’s going on. 

How do I pick the right roommate? I’m struggling between choosing my best friend or my current roommate who’s just really chill.

Housing can be difficult to arrange, so a situation like this can often occur. I recommend talking to your best friend about each other’s living habits because you guys might have very different living styles. It can be risky to room with one of your best friends — I have witnessed rooming tear apart friendships. However, if you both have similar habits, then living together might be a blast. But if you guys have different habits, then I would suggest staying with your current roommate. The benefit of staying with your current roommate is that at least you know that you already get along with them.

Is having a relationship at IMSA worth it?

It depends on the type of person you are and if you are able to handle a relationship on top of IMSA. Some people might invest more into their relationship than their schoolwork, which ultimately then harms your education and grades. However, if you are able to handle a relationship and keep up with IMSA then I would say that having a relationship at IMSA is worth it for you.