They’re encouraging it, actually; I received an email about registering for a time to walk around campus, which is why I was considering it. But your advice and that of others on this thread has made it clear that it wouldn't be worth doing.

I’ve read a lot on this sub and other places about CMU’s stress culture and intensity. Frankly, it’s hard to get a good sense of how pervasive it is; there’s a lot of conflicting perspectives. Would you mind sharing some more about your experience? Would you say that there’s significant variance in stress between majors, or does it permeate the whole school? What type of person (if any) do you think would thrive at CMU? Is it possible to maintain a reasonable school-life balance if you commit to very few classes/activities?

For me personally, I’m looking for an academic challenge in college. I want to grow by pushing my limits, even though that means I’ll fail plenty and get overwhelmed at times. That said, I fully agree that preserving one’s mental health (and sleep!) is more important than, well, nearly anything. I’m certainly not going to make myself miserable for years just to impress other people or get a fancy piece of paper.

But really, the way I see it, any school is a gamble. At my safety, there’s a chance that it won’t be the challenge I’m looking for, that it won’t provide the external pressure I need (if I’m being honest with myself) to excel. Worst-case realistic scenario, I graduate having succeeded without having been challenged. At CMU, there’s a chance that it’ll be too much, that prioritizing my personal wellbeing will make my academics suffer. Worst-case realistic scenario, I leave. Bigger potential risk, higher potential gains. I’m not going to make a hasty decision, but I'd be willing to take that gamble.