Didja’ know that in exactly 13 weeks—also on a Wednesday—the semester will be over?
That’s right, consider yourself approximately a quarter of the way through the hell that our lives have become at The Beach; a lot of us are faring just fine at this point, but for some us, from coursework, to all-nighters, to part-time jobs, to nagging significant others … has it really only been four weeks?
As a super-senior who knows all too well the slippery slope between a cocky I-got-this-jam-packed-semester-under-control Zen to the oh-em-geeeeee freak out after realizing how long its been since I slept, might I suggest a step-by-step approach to managing the chaos before it manages you?
This is the road I will be taking to recovery before the storm even hits —pay no attention to Tuesday’s touch of weather:
Step 1
By the end of this week, I will admit (out loud) that my plate is way too full. I might say it under my breath a few times, sandwiched by expletives of course, before I get comfortable with the fact that I’ve let the first quarter of the semester pass me by all too freely. This won’t be a coming to Jesus/aha moment; are you kidding, I’ve known all along that I was piling it all on too heavy. The point of this step is the same as the cliché… the first step to resolving a problem is admitting you have one. It’s a relatively simple place to make a start.
[sidebar title=”Quick tips” align=”right” background=”on” border=”left” shadow=”on”]A – I’ll plan to hit the SRWC in the wee hours of the very early a.m., that way I can avoid the self-defeating afternoon wipe-out that has cost me a cardio fix a time or two (or all semester long so far…).
B – I’ll schedule my plan so that it keeps me ahead of the game… that way if and when I do slip up on myself, I can’t fall totally off track. My calendar will aim to have me finish assignments, projects, etc. at least 48 hours before they are actually due.
C – Sleep will not be forgotten on this calendar. Planning out your life like this is absolutely insane, I know; however, if you do it and stick to it, you’re looking at a chance to reclaim hours of potentially lost or sacrificed sleep… which is a great way to lose control of the quality of your work as the weeks roll by.
D – It’s impossible to be a robot that never has fun or plays it by ear. I’ll be leaving pockets of time open on the weekends and throughout some of my weekdays, and I’ll be sure to enjoy myself during those time… campus events, movies, ice cream, more sleep… all of these are also needed!
[/sidebar]Step 2
Over the weekend, I will make a list. My list will include every single thing I need to accomplish by Dec. 16. Yes, it will include basic life needs like sleep, food, etc., but it will also include my mid-term exam dates, major projects that I need to accomplish, my work schedule, personal events headed my way and even my workout plan (because seriously, night classes riddled with Skittles and $.60 coffee refills from the library Starbucks might kill my heart if I don’t hit the Rec regularly).
Step 3
Once I’ve compiled this monstrously daunting list of items that comprise my life for the next three-fourths of the fall semester, I will organize it… that’s right I’m headed to Google Drive where I can build myself the perfect spreadsheet calendar. Google Sheets even offers templates these days for creating calendars—you can’t go wrong. I’m putting everything on this calendar. I plan to map out my Monday through Sunday routine down to the minute, so there’s no room for forgetting and no room for error once I dive in.
Step 4
Okay… at this point I will have made myself the crazy person with 13 weeks of my life planned out. The next thing for me to do will be to get to it. I’ll print my week-by-week calendar out and carry it with me and check things off as I finish them. Progress has a funny way of feeling really awesome, and as I make more of it, I will feel less and less stressed out.
This is how I plan to stay on top the potential for absolute madness this fall; what’s yours? If you have thoughts and plans and tips, I’d love to hear @Daily49er #13weeks&counting.