Toby Harris: On the demand for return

If we do something, we want evidence. Constantly, we are reminded to, “make the most of our time,” but what does that mean? It is so arbitrary. Time used in one way may be useful for one but completely pointless for another and vice versa. To recline in one’s room watching Family Guy is no longer allowed. If you are bedroom bound, there needs to be a reason, either you must be ill or writing a novel.

Everything is required to offer a beneficial byproduct, whether it is contributing to our professional prospects, enhancing our academic achievements or presenting a life defining moment that can be manipulated into a compelling dinner-party story.

Return, output or gain is never sought more than during our supposed “time off”. Holiday comes with as much pressure as term-time. How dare we holiday to holiday – we must “travel”. It is expected that we use our time “productively”, delivering a result. If we have not travelled, gained work experience or sought employment, our time has been classified as, “wasted”. The three months off leaves the disorganised individual in a state of angst.

Despite elder generations dismissing student-life as one of ease, semesters are long and demanding. To succeed in the all-consuming, frantic academic environment of a student, rest is necessary. With intensity comes a demand for relaxation. Too much time is spent on the “ought”, “should”, “could” or “was going to” and not enough is spent on what we “want” to do. Perhaps an elite few see no difference between the two, with self-improvement sculpting their sole ambition. Whilst, that is the utopian dream, “down time” for the majority is a necessity. A desire to do nothing should not be condemned.

When we have long holidays whilst commitments are scarce and demands on our time are limited, why not take a holiday for holiday’s sake? Life is a balance between the “want” and “should” activities. If you want a rest for the sake of needing a rest, take it. That’s what holidays are for.