I love to be busy. All through out high school and even now, I pack my schedule to full capacity. I do this for many reasons. For one, I was taught at a young age the importance of involvement and activity. To this day, I see value in staying busy and taking part in activities outside of the classroom.

Yet sometimes, being busy becomes overwhelming. And by overwhelming, I mean the “out of your mind, pull your hair out, go crazy” kind of overwhelming. Between college research papers, student organizations and studying for midterm exams, it’s amazing we haven’t all died of sleep deprivation.

One activity included on my running list is intramural sports. Compared to many of my other activities, playing intramural sports can’t really compare.It’s not very impressive on a résumé, it isn’t required for anything and it won’t get me too far in a job interview post-graduation.

But for me, playing intramural sports serves a much more important function.

Although it’s another activity I add to my busy schedule, playing intramural sports has proved to be the biggest stress reliever for me. When I’m on the court or out on the field, I momentarily forget about the daily stresses of college life. I’m able to release tension while surrounded by a group of people I feel comfortable around. Often, it’s when I’m playing intramural sports where I find myself laughing for the first time all day.

After a full day of classes, part-time job shifts, homework assignments and student organization meetings, I can’t wait to put on the shoes I wore in high school to play a sport I am still absolutely in love with.

Sports were a huge part of my life in high school. Although I’m only a sophomore now, high school seems like it was a million years ago. I never thought when people reminisced on “the glory days” of high school sports that I would be reminiscing so early on. I can’t explain how much I miss stepping onto my home court, putting on my No. 23 jersey and riding a bus to away games with the girls I grew up with. Yet there comes a time when an everyday, year-round sport is something you must give up in order to pursue a more long-term avenue.

While playing intramural sports can’t compare to these memories, it still makes me feel like an athlete. I’m still able to be a part of a team, work on my game and have fun doing it all the while.

As a college student, it’s one of the only activities I take part in that feels like a getaway from my busy life. I wouldn’t trade the hour and a half it takes to play an intramural game for anything. Yes, I could easily use this time to do homework or put in a few more hours at work, but it’s these few hours every week that keep me sane. Intramural sports are and will continue to be one of my favorite, most important extracurricular activities.