“Drake Busy” is a saying that students on campus know well, whether that be in a good or bad way. It is the idea that students should fill their schedules to the brim, whether this be with classes, internships or various social activities on campus.
Frances Shook, a senior studying magazine media and public relations, knows this saying very well from her time at Drake University. She first heard about “Drake Busy” when she was a first-year, hearing about it from the admissions office during her welcome weekend experience and from various professors and peers.
Despite hearing about this during her college career, she doesn’t think it is necessarily a bad thing.
“I don’t think “Drake Busy” is necessarily a bad thing if used right. A lot of students at Drake fill their schedules to the max, to the point that they don’t have time for themselves and they let it all overtake their lives. However, being busy and a part of organizations, clubs, classes and other things isn’t a bad thing if one is aware of the time they are giving to themselves,” Shook said.
Shook said she has experienced “Drake Busy,” but not as bad as other students might have.
“My first-year year I definitely experienced ‘Drake Busy.’ Although when COVID hit, my mental health took a turn and I had to lay off on being super busy to focus on myself. Once COVID cleared, I stayed busy within my sorority by holding positions, but I can say that I never fully experienced ‘Drake Busy,’” Shook said. “I can definitely say there are pros and cons to that. For one, I didn’t get to meet more people outside of my community of people, but I can say I have had more time to enjoy myself and learn about who I am and how I’ve grown these past few years at Drake.”
Princess Hart, a senior majoring in graphic design with a minor in magazine media, says that “Drake Busy” often triggers something within her because she feels like she can never go back to a normal work ethic after learning that mindset.
Drake Mag, Drake Political Review, RHA, and Student Activities Board, along with taking six classes between her major and minor, are what Hart involves herself in on campus.
“In my experience being ‘Drake Busy’ depends on the load and circumstances of your life as a whole. I consider myself to have always been ‘Drake Busy,’ ever since my first year, and the closer I get to graduation, the worse it affects,” Hart said. “To put it simply for this school year, being ‘Drake Busy’ absolutely sucks but I won’t say bad things about the awesome experiences I got out of it. This might be the last time I am doing this much though.”
There are ways to destress from being “Drake Busy,” with Shook saying that she relaxes by watching TV shows and movies, playing card games with friends, going on walks, reading books and just generally surrounding herself with friends that allow her to take a break from the work around her.
Though, if these ways to destress aren’t helpful, students should know they should never feel pressured into feeling like they’re not doing enough, according to Hart.
“I would like to tell students that if they ever feel pressured into feeling like they aren’t doing enough, get tempted into juggling extracurriculars, on top of jobs and classes – don’t. There is no need to rush since ultimately your health, both mental and physical, come first. Find the balance that works for you and just have a good time,” Hart said.
