Work/Life Balance by Virginia

Work/Life Balance by Virginia - February 2026 Scholarship Essay

One small habit that has become an essential part of my routine that has perfectly set myself up for success is keeping an organized and detailed schedule of my day. This habit of keeping a calendar has allowed me to make time for myself and my hobbies while continuing to stay on top of important due dates which has improved my ability to work to my full potential. In my calendar, I keep track of all important due dates. This includes scholarship deadlines, application dates, and assignments I need to turn in. This creates the opportunity to better plan my week which creates the time to complete any of my important papers that have to be done when they are due. However, my calendar has also become a space where I keep track of my hobbies, release dates, and time for friends and family. For years, I allowed my personal health and my relationships with those around me to drown just to ensure my assignments were completed when they needed to be. I realized that this was one of the unhealthiest habits I had and was not setting me up for success in the moment, or success in the future. When I started adding my hobbies and things that mattered to me in my schedule to allow time in between assignments, my mental and physical health improved drastically. This difference created a space where my academic life soared because it was not something that I was forcing myself to do, but rather something I was starting to enjoy. My calendar which is a combination of important deadlines and the time the new episode of The Pitt releases on HBO Max has allowed me to create an essential work and life balance which has allowed me to genuinely thrive in the academic areas of my life.