Students share their tips for work/life balance in the new year

Coming back to campus in January means reuniting with friends, making new ones, and having new experiences. But the excitement about the semester ahead is often accompanied by self-imposed pressure to keep up with coursework and make the most of opportunities.

For some, the feeling starts even before classes begin. “You choose a class, and people tell you it’s really good, but that the workload is huge and the professor is strict,” said Yi Zhang (MS in Computer Science ’27). “That can definitely make you nervous. But teachers don’t expect you to know a lot — if you did, you wouldn’t be taking the course.”

For others, the stress builds as the semester picks up speed. “For me, it’s around week three, when assignments start piling up,” said Aarya Rajgor (MS in Computer Science ’26).

Managing the workload

As to-do lists grow longer, students find that breaking work into manageable pieces helps them feel in control and prevents overwhelm.

“I carry a notebook where I write down all my thoughts and tasks,” said Rahim, “so I don’t have to keep everything in my head.”

Zhang sets daily goals, while Mandar Ambulkar (MS in Computer Science ’26) writes tasks down as they come, keeping them small. “The tasks I put on the page are always something I can do within an hour or two,” he said.

“I have pages full of things to do on any particular day,” he added. “It helps me not forget and gives me that small satisfaction of crossing out a task and moving on to the next thing.”

Making time for movement

Managing tasks is just one piece of staying balanced — so is physical activity. Research suggests that regular exercise can help reduce stress and anxiety, boost wellbeing, and improve mindfulness and resilience among students. 

In a previous article, Heejae Roh (MPS in Analytics ’24) explained how playing soccer gave him the energy to tackle all the activities he was involved in during his master’s — including working as a teaching assistant, running a student club, and participating in four study groups.

For Zhang, exercise serves a similar purpose: indoor climbing, hiking, and gym workouts help her build the physical and mental strength to stay on top of her coursework and commitments.

Yi Zhang finds rock climbing to be good for balance—literally and figuratively.

Making and keeping friends

Exercise isn’t the only support Zhang relies on. She said her friendships on campus help her feel safe and grounded. “We have snacks together, sometimes we bring presents for one another. We stay close and have each other’s backs,” she said.

Rahim (MSCS ’26), one of Zhang’s friends, said that the support of her classmates helps her cope with stress. “Being able to talk to them makes a big difference for me. It’s comforting to know others are going through similar experiences,” she said, noting that professional support can also be valuable.

Last semester, when balancing her teaching assistant role, ambassador responsibilities, and job search began to feel overwhelming, she booked a consultation with Sam Aldana, the Silicon Valley campus wellness specialist. (Wellness appointments can be booked by any current student using this appointment form).

Aldana encouraged her to see her many tasks and responsibilities in a new light. Instead of focusing on all she had to do — which made her feel overwhelmed — she suggested Rahim consider how each item was helping her grow. “I have carried that mindset ever since,” Rahim said.

Students Saahithi Mallarapu, Aisha Rahim, and Yi Zhang (clockwise from center, with Yi’s husband also pictured) making time for the Bay Area’s famous food culture

Looking for a new perspective

A change of mindset also helped Zhiyan Pei (MS in Computer Science ’25) manage anxiety during her master’s and, more recently, her job search. 

A fan of self-help books, she gained a new perspective from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. First, she learned the concept of “sharpening your saw” — maintaining mind and body to stay strong and functional over time. The idea motivated her to adopt healthy habits she hadn’t prioritized before. “I started running the next day,” she said.

Next, she learned about the circle of concern versus the circle of influence, a framework for distinguishing what is within your power and what isn’t. “The job market is definitely in my circle of concern, but it’s not in my circle of influence,” she explained. 

Learning to separate what she can control (building her skills, preparing for interviews) from what she can’t (for instance, how she is perceived) was both empowering and liberating.  It has freed her to spend time on what she enjoys, like drawing, just for the joy of it.

Students take a screen break on campus to read a book. (Photo: Ruby Wallau)

Doing what you love

Students find that carving out time for activities purely for themselves — not tied to productivity or school — helps them relax and recharge. Aisha Rahim (MS in Computer Science ’26) agrees:

“I’ve realized it’s really hard for me to stay grounded unless I feel like I’m still doing things ‘for me’ and not just constantly running on school mode,” she said. 

“Sometimes that hour is just doomscrolling before bed because I’m exhausted, but what I’m aiming for is watching a show, texting my loved ones, or even planning my next day or week. Weirdly, making a simple plan or list helps put everything in perspective and makes me feel lighter.”

Building community

There are lots of opportunities for students to connect with the campus community. If you’d like to start the year off with some new friendly faces, come join one of these upcoming events:

• Speed Friending: January 21, 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. This event was a huge hit last semester, and it’s back! Get to know new friends in a lighthearted and fun game-style event. Learn more here.
• Student Involvement Fair: January 29, 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. Learn about every student interest group and club on campus. There will also be games and prizes! Learn more here.
• Community Service Volunteering Day: February 4, 11:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Join the team off campus at Sacred Heart, a local non-profit that offers multiple services to assist people in our city experiencing poverty and homelessness. Learn more here.
• Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony Watch Party: February 6, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. With the ceremony livestreaming from the Milano Cortina games, we’ll be serving up snacks from around the world! Learn more here.
• Lunar New Year Celebration: Don’t miss one of our favorite annual campus events, the Lunar New Year party. Learn more here.