For the past few weeks, I’ve been following the Huffington Post’s lifestyle series about stress. Writers across the country are submitting their stories, each one about the author’s breaking point. One woman named Brandy wrote about how her demanding job at an advertising agency triggered a genetic condition, Alopecia, that caused 90 percent of her hair to fall out. Three months after noticing the first signs of hair loss, she decided to shave the rest of it off.

It wasn’t until Brandy was completely bald that she realized she had to quit her job for the sake of her well-being. 

Our bodies are smart. When we put ourselves under extreme stress, our bodies will react accordingly. Sometimes, they fight us — our hair falls out, our immune systems wear down or our limbs ache. The symptoms of stress are different for every person, and the list of possibilities can go on and on.

What I’m wondering then is why aren’t we taking these physical signs seriously? Instead, we’re brushing them off, wanting to deal with them later. As college students, we have our eyes locked on the prize: a degree. We don’t want to take detours or face roadblocks. No matter how stressed out we are, we almost always keep on pushing.

But if my body is vehemently rejecting something in my life, then shouldn’t I make the empowered decision to turn and run the other way?

Well, yes, of course I should. But that isn’t the way of the world. In this country, in this education system, we’re encouraged to stick it out and persevere. When Brandy’s hair loss became more evident, she didn’t immediately leave her advertising agency — she kept going, like a hamster on a wheel because that’s what she was supposed to do. Or so she thought.

I’m driven. Ridiculously driven to the point where my ambitions often seem more important than anyone or anything else. I know what it’s like to shove everything down to complete a task or accomplish a goal. And I can ingenuously say that those issues will come back up and erupt.

I know what that eruption is like too. So does Brandy and the rest of the contributors to the stress series. 

Stress, if not properly dealt with, will eventually manifest itself into something much bigger.

This is why self-care is so important. As much as we might want to succeed and fulfill what is asked of us, the truth is that our health matters most. Sacrificing our wellness will only cause problems down the line. 

If I’ve learned anything over the past two years at this University, it is this: I have to put myself first. I have the gift of free will and the luxury to make my own choices. If my body is saying no, then I need to take a step back and re-evaluate.

The older I get, the more valuable this lesson becomes. My adult life will surely be full of stressful decisions: Should I take this job? Should I move to this city? Should I marry this guy?

I don’t know what my future holds.

I do, however, know one thing for certain: If my body is trying to tell me something, then I promise I’ll listen.

Melanie is a junior in Media. She can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @mellystone.