Being a student can be hard. It’s not just a matter of showing up — there’s external reading hours, the general stress of study, the management of competing priorities and deadlines. Not to mention the ever increasing pressure to be online, professional, willing to work for free, and totally ready to sacrifice peace of mind for a slice of the career game.

So of course, it’s up to us to try and balance all of these things all at once. If you’re an overly ambitious student, you’ve probably done all of this at least once a semester. For the others, here’s a rundown on how to completely overwhelm yourself*.

#1 Sign Up To Volunteer For Literally Every Organisation, Ever

A lot of us want to help and change the world, and there are countless agencies and initiatives out there trying to do just that. Are you looking to get in way over your head this semester? Get involved with several not for profits, all at the same time, and indebt your time to each of them. Bonus points if you choose something you’re really passionate about, so you feel even worse when you fall behind. 

#2 Stay Up Really Late And Worry About Your Commitments  

You’ve been assigned projects for four different NGOs, and you’ve got overdue uni tasks pending. It’s late at night, and all of this is running through your mind. You sit and watch the evening tick away on your laptop clock, increasingly aware of the fact that this is crucial time you could be using to sleep, wake up early, and get those jobs done.

Obviously, don’t do that. To truly bite off more than you can chew, you need to embrace worry, you need to become worry. Watch all of the Handmaid’s Tale instead, or browse free journal articles for a topic you did an elective in once. Stay up until 4am each night to really wind up the tension. 

#3 Book Internships That Clash With Each Other

You know what can make volunteering just a little bit more nerve racking? Insurance forms and a direct link to your grade point average. If you’re seeking a way to really step up your game and truly overburden yourself, apply for and attempt to fulfill at least two independent internships simultaneously.

Make sure that you commit to come into the office at least once a week, and ideally leave yourself as little time as possible to commute between each location. 

#4 Start A Relationship at the Worst Possible Time

What’s better than an intense relationship with someone living in the next city away? There is nothing that could go wrong. If you’re dependant on public transport, pursue a relationship that’ll require a two hour commute time just to see them. At this point, why not? 

#5 Tell Everyone You’ll Have Tasks Completed By Friday

If you’ve followed all the steps in this guide, you’ve probably hit crisis point after about three months. Well, you’re almost there! Now that everything has gone wrong, apologise too many times to everyone in your life you’ve inconvenienced and tell them everything will be ready by Friday. It won’t, but they don’t know that.

*Of course, we joke. Please take care of yourself!