A month till the end of the semester and talk is spreading quickly through the campus. Talk about…
FINAL EXAMS.
Yes, our final exam timetables are out. Everyone who has got final exams (some lucky people don’t) knows when they are during the last two weeks. I’m a little lucky because my exams are ending 4 days before the end of the semester so I can relax a little bit before I have to leave. This also means classes are wrapping things up. Final projects, essays, papers, lab reports, assignments… all due within the next four weeks. I’ve slowly watched my flatmates retreat into the safety of their rooms and various areas on campus for excessive studying. Me being no exception.
In these times of panic and fear, I find comfort in organization and a notion that I can somehow find my way through all of it if I make the right moves. Through my years of schooling, there is one thing that has been my sole savior and lifeline. This is my planner. I honestly don’t think I would make it by without my planner. As someone who is a bit forgetful, I take comfort in having a book that tells me everything I need to do. I put everything in my planner, notes, grocery lists, phone numbers, reminders, gym times, class times, everything.
One thing I find really helpful is blocking out times where I need to work on things. I’ll tell myself I’m going to work on something for so many hours at a certain time and try my best to stick to it. Now everything doesn’t always work out according to plan. Sometimes new things come up, I run into difficulties, or it takes longer than expected to accomplish something, but having the initial plan there reminds me that I need to be held accountable for how I manage my time. It also reminds me of the things that I didn’t finish and still have to get done because honestly with all of the classes, assignments, extracurricular, work, and life itself, how is anyone supposed to remember everything? Now this may sound a little anxiety-inducing (and trust me it is), but it’s way better than the alternative of you realizing that you missed an important assignment that you can’t make up because you forgot the due date. True stories of many classmates of mine. Not me. You know why? Cause it’s always written in my planner!
Alas, I am still human. I procrastinate every so often, I have problems focusing sometimes, and there have been many late nights trying to finish assignments and study for tests. I have been actively working on becoming a more productive person for years now, and I am still not perfect. Practicing and always working towards little goals has made me better throughout the years. One tool that I’ve been using a lot lately is Thomas Franks youtube videos. If you never heard of him, he’s the creator of college info geek on youtube and has so many great tips on becoming a more productive and successful person. I highly encourage you to check him out.
The past few weeks have consisted of lots of studying and catching up with work, and I think this week will be similar. I’m hoping to keep up with my assignments in hopes of having more time to do things in the future. I did get the chance to go to Rotorua today which was really nice, and so great for my health. I still have to remember to get out and enjoy the fresh air because I’ll only be here for so much longer!
Goals for Next Week Include:
- Crush my Animal Structure and Function Exam.
- Get a good part of my GIS project done.
- Go to yoga 3 times, and hit the gym 4 times.
- Eat healthy and find some time to grab groceries!
Let’s see if we can make this happen!