I don't need to tell you that college is stressful.
There's always something going on : some class, some event, some party, some club meeting. That's when you get stuck between all the things you have to do, and all the things you want to do. It becomes difficult to find a good balance between the two, especially if your friends are not on the same page. When it comes to choosing between wine night and finishing math homework, it's too difficult to stay in.
Either all your friends are having fun and you miss out, or you join them, come home tipsy on a late Tuesday night, and set an alarm to finish that homework. After all, it's the best of both worlds : you get to do what you want and what you need. But what do you do when there is no way out of doing what you need to do, but you're dying to go out ? The short answer is : go out anyway. Sounds like terrible advice, I know, but follow these steps and I guarantee that you'll be grateful you did.
1. Put your affairs in order.
Figure out what you have to do first. It's easier to break it down into steps rather than do a little bit of everything at once. Picture this : you have to write out a draft for a paper, finish math problems, and catch up on some reading. There is always a strategic way to lay it all out, depending on what you're most behind on, what your strengths are, and what you struggle with, but this always depends on the amount of time you have, which brings us to the following step.
2. Time is of the essence.
Suppose all this work is due at 10 AM the next day, a Friday, unfortunately. Realistically speaking, you're not going to get to the bulk of your studying until your classes end. The difference lies between you starting an hour after that, or right when you get to your study spot. Be honest with yourself at this point, because your timing will be key, so when budgeting, remember that you might need four hours to complete it all, but do you really need two hours to get ready ?
3. Fight the doubt.
You finish your reading and you're two hours into your planned study time. You're already exhausted and now have to draft a paper on the heavy reading you just did. Halfway through that draft is when you start telling yourself things like "I'm never going to finish in time" or "I'm too drained to go out". Fight those thoughts and remember why you decided to work so hard in the first place. If you lose motivation to finish up, you lose momentum, so not only do you miss a night out, but you also spend six hours doing something you could have accomplished in four.
4. Kick your efficiency up to high gear.
You have an hour left before you have to get ready, because there is no way you're not making an effort on your appearance after working so hard on school. It's about equal distribution. This is when the pregame plan texts start rolling in fast, and you start to lose focus. Turn that phone off. The plans will be finalized by the time you're done, and you can let your friends know you're still alive then. It's very important that you give it your all, rather than get distracted by tonight's plans. The reward comes at the end, not in the middle.
5. Multitask.
You realize you have no idea what to wear, and be honest, this process always takes way longer than need be. Don't fret. This will be the last step. Instead, start doing your makeup while you watch those Khan Academy math videos. A few minutes in, you'll figure out the right makeup applying-to-problem solving ratio, and it'll become second nature. Before you know it, you'll be all done up, proving that doing your makeup truly can be a passive act.
6. Don't do things half way (Study Edition).
Your makeup is done but your math is not. This is not when you give up. You're not going to have a good time if somewhere, in the back of your mind, you're telling yourself that you should have stayed home and studied. You haven't worked this hard to end up sacrificing your work for your night out, or vis-versa, so finish what you've started. In other words, don't leave anything for tomorrow. If that draft needs to be printed, print it now, not as you sprint to class the next morning. The point is to prove to yourself that you can have it all, I cannot stress this enough.
7. Don't do things half way (Night Out Edition).
Impossible but true, you've finished all your school work with time to spare. Reward yourself. Try on all the tops in your closet until you find the right one, maybe even do your hair. If you've worked this hard, you deserve to have a night that it as good as your work ethic. You're now ready to go out knowing that you have no reason to hold back, and let me tell you, there is no better feeling.
8. Repeat.
You've done it before, you can do it again. Granted, you might be exhausted from yesterday's grind, but how good did it feel to tackle that workload, and how good did it feel to accomplish it all, without having had to make any sacrifices ? You can definitely be proud of yourself; now use that energy to fuel today's rally.
