Balance Between College and the Farm

Growing up as a farm kid in northern Indiana, it was inevitable that I would attend Purdue and major within the College of Ag. I spent countless hours working on the farm while living at home, especially during my high school years. Transitioning into college, I knew I wanted to still be active on my family’s farm. I decided to take little to no classes on Fridays so I could travel home early and start working as soon as possible. After the Fall 2020 semester, I realized that I did not have balance.

This fall looked a little different than freshman and sophomore year. My family needed me more than ever before due to perfect harvesting conditions, more acres to harvest than previous years, and having very little extra help. I had a heavy course load, was active in extracurriculars, and worked 30 hour weekends 2 hours north of campus. I would listen to zoom lectures while picking corn, submit last minute quizzes and essays around 11:50pm on Friday nights, and barely had a social life.

I spread myself too thin. I now realize that college is too short to not enjoy every possible second. The knowledge you gain through academics, opportunities through extracurriculars, and the memories you make with friends will last a lifetime.

So if you struggle with balancing between work, family, school, or anything else., make sure you understand what you could miss out on rather than committing to something that will be there after your 4 years is up. At your time at Purdue, build strong friendships, accomplish all the Purdue traditions, and take advantage of what Purdue has to offer.

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