Wake Forest is the personification of the “work hard, play hard” mentality, earning the nickname “Work Forest” among its students. We’re pressured to take high-level classes, join as many resume-building extracurricular activities as possible and attend countless social events.
This can lead to students neglecting their physical and mental health. Increased stressors, new environments and increased socialization leave students susceptible to a variety of physical illnesses, such as the so-called “Freshman Flu,” and mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. This hyperproductivity and hustle culture is also a recipe for burnout, so it’s especially important to take care of yourself.
But self-care can be at odds with the grind culture that permeates college campuses today. This mindset that “the grind never stops” creates a negative stigma around relaxing. A recent TikTok trend called “bedrotting” encapsulates this negative attitude. The term bedrot refers to spending hours or a day in bed doing unproductive activities like watching TV or scrolling through social media. There are millions of videos posted about bedrot, with some people embracing it as a form of self-care while others critique it as an excuse to be lazy.
While the term “rotting” does imply an excess of unproductive activity, many people use the term bedrotting to refer to a normal and healthy amount of rest, such as spending one day a week in bed. Calling well-deserved rest “rotting” discourages a positive image of self-care. When did relaxing become controversial?
When did we start viewing taking time for ourselves as lazy?
This attitude supports a toxic hustle culture that glorifies overworking to the point of burnout. Burnout, specifically from overworking on academics, is a contributing factor to the rising mental illness rates in students across the U.S.. A Healthy Minds annual survey of students across 196 universities found that 38% of students struggled with depression, and 34% struggled with anxiety. The toxic hustle culture is not productive in the long run when taking into account the detrimental effects it can have on one’s health.
Life at Wake Forest is not a walk in the park, despite our nature-themed name. It’s normal to be overwhelmed by classes and social commitments and to struggle with mental health. Despite the pressure to somehow do it all and hustle nonstop, caring for yourself is important. Taking the day to scroll on your phone and give your brain a break is not rotting.
Relaxation is an integral part of a healthy and balanced lifestyle, which is especially important for college students — so take a break from feeling guilty about resting and spend some time rotting in bed.
