By Sharon Fleshman
This past Monday, my office threw an eclipse party. It was nice to get outside and enjoy some ice cream and popcorn as we listened to classics such as “Total Eclipse of the Heart” and “Here Comes the Sun.” An eclipse is a relatively rare occasion to witness and delight in something magnificent. I found this to be a breath of fresh air given the times we live in these days.
As the summer comes (always so quickly) to a close, I can imagine that many of you may be thinking about what’s ahead for the fall. Penn students juggle a lot: classes, extracurriculars, part-time jobs/internships/field placements, graduate school applications, and the job search. With so much pressure to shift between various tasks, it can be hard to stay focused as you work on laptops and check phones or tablets.
What if we could be positively distracted from our screens every once a while? As much as I am tempted to work at my computer through lunch, I know that it is vital for me to get away from my desk, even if just for a few minutes to take a quick walk or sit outside and birdwatch. As mundane as these activities are, they help me to hit refresh away from my keyboard. Even within the job search, there is much to plan for and be overwhelmed by. Be sure to be intentional about good distractions that allow for self-care and reenergizing.
