I obsess over time. I have always planned schedules, made up routines, and calculated where and when I'll be at certain times, no matter how far into the future. During the course of my day, I figure out what tomorrow will be like and what events will occur. I think of all the things that will eventually happen and even the possibilities or unexpected occurrences. No matter what happens, I have at least an inkling of what my time-frame is to complete specific tasks. I know what will come and when.

Even in a class, I keep my eye on the clock. My mind may drift off into my own "schedule land," in which I think of the rest of the day. Who will I eat with? When should I go to sleep? How much work will I get done? All of these questions and more pop up in my head, and it can be overwhelming, and yet, I find it to be extremely useful at the same time. Yes, I may cause a headache or two from my over-analytical tendencies, but at least I have an idea, a prediction, an expectation of what I will do next or where I will go. It heightens my motivation; it gives me more determination in order to succeed and complete my day in a productive manner.

My obsession, and yes I call it that, may seem anxiety-ridden or even psychotic, but my thoughts about time focus on how much I have yet to do even if I have done so much up to this point. While I acknowledge my prior experiences, accomplishments, and even failures, I still have so much more I have to do. This is not a matter of wanting either. This is a need, a necessity. The problem is that time is finite.

I cannot control the speed of time, no one can, but I and everyone else can utilize it while we have it. This, in effect, will allow us some sort of manipulation over the passing of time in our own individual lives. If you have a goal, whether big or small, it can be reached simply by you acting on it now. Develop a mini plan based around the events that might happen, and make sure there are certain "checkpoints" to attain. Think about how much time will be used in between each checkpoint, accounting for successes and downfalls as well. Once you frame your work, you can start, and start immediately. There is nothing worse than an improper, late, inaccurate schedule or conception of time. You have all of these goals and events listed and ready to go, so start now while you have the most time to do it all because if you miss something, you'll regret it.

I don't mean to scare you, but this is the reality of life. We live in a finite world: surrounded by finite things and people and opportunities. We can stop whatever we're doing, but time will never cease, so while it is still progressing and while the earth is still rotating, we need to do what we have to in order to get to the point of happiness and personal acceptance with our lives and our successes. Stay alert, and keep watch of the clock because every tick and tock and pendulum swing matters.