Hey, you. Yes, yes, I am talking to you. How long has it been since you've looked up from your computer, textbook, or lecture notes? Yeah, a little too long. There is nothing worse than hearing your roommates make plans or talk about going out for the weekend and all you can think about is that huge English paper you have to turn in two days from now. Or even the two group presentations your professor just decided they wanted you to do.
It feels like its coming at you all at once; trust me, I get it. Like there are too many assignments to do and not enough time to get them done. And even when you start to think to yourself that you'll have the weekend to catch up, what you really do is catch up on much-needed sleep and that just adds, even more, worry and frustration.
But hey, at least your professor gave you until the end of Thanksgiving break to turn in the assignment. But come on, being home for the first time since move-in day for a whole week, how many students are actually going to have time to sit down and do an essay when they could just sit down and eat turkey? Or my personal favorite, green bean casserole.
The semester flew by way too fast, and at first, it feels like a good thing but then you realize all those assignments your professor said you didn't have to worry about until November, have become the first box you need to check off on your to-do list. So here are some tips for the not so good time managers, like myself, or the students struggling to keep on top of things before Thanksgiving dinner.
First of all, write out all your due dates and deadlines on a calendar. Having this visual will help you see a little more clearly when something is due and just how much time you have left to do it. This also helps take care of any built up anxiety you may have developed due to having everything feel like it was due on the same day.
Secondly, schedule certain days for only doing certain assignments. For example, if today is Monday and you have a Sociology test Wednesday, but a four-page paper due the following Monday, design your days accordingly to how much time you need for each. Study for your test all Monday and Tuesday and throughout the day Wednesday until the time of your exam. Then use the remainder of the week and the weekend to write your paper. Plan it out to where you feel like each assessment can be given one hundred percent, whether you only need two days to study or a whole week for a paper.
Lastly, have a designated time to be in bed. Nothing will get done if you stay up all night doing a million different assignments, especially if you have an exam the following day. Sleeping will keep you motivated for the next few days, along with eating a well balanced three meals a day and drinking plenty of water. Remember during these rough patches that school work can cause lots of stress, but taking care of your physical and mental health is the most important.
You will get through it, even if everything in your gut is telling you that you can't. Use rewards to keep yourself motivated, treat yourself to time with friends or spending an hour on your favorite hobby. Manage your time effectively to fit your personal needs, and you will be eating turkey in no time.
