Classes, and Work, and Parties! Oh my!
This Friday I asked the twitterverse what they would like to read about on my blog and I got a really awesome response. GL0RIANG asked: "how you juggle [Full Time] school with uneasy courses and work! and friends..and family..and yourself." This is something everyone has or will encounter in university, and everyone has their own strategies. For me, these are a few things I have found that work.
1. Learn to say "no"
Once I had the opportunity to get involved, I wanted to get involved with everything. The year I was President of McLaughlin College Council, I was automatically on at least 5 different committees and people were always asking for me to be on more. I was working myself ragged and I just couldn't keep up and eventually I realized I just could not do it. As much as I would have loved to have joined these other projects, there is no way I would have been able to give them the dedication they deserved, so I had to learn to say no.
2. Prioritize.
One year I was working as a Peer Health Educator, a Night Porter, a Residence Programmer, a McLaughlin College Council associate, and I was a full time student. Inevitably, everything at some point or another would conflict so I had to pick and choose which commitments I would be able to make. I couldn't porter Thursday nights because I was working Heath Ed events at pub night. I couldn't go on MCC trips because I'd have to porter Saturday nights (to make up for the Thursdays). To top it all off, I'd bring homework everywhere so I could get everything done.
3. Have fun!
The minute being in a club or on council or volunteering feels like hard work is when it starts becoming unbearable and stressful. So yes it is technically work, but you don't want it to feel that way! Even schoolwork is easier when it's fun. I would have study parties with my friends to get through exams, or we'd play games and tell jokes while portering to pass the time. Council work was never really work if I was with friends. It sounds overly simple and a little silly but really if you're happy you'll manage everything so much better.
4. Sometimes it's better late than never (Oh, and it's okay to cry.)
I have been in places where I've been so overwhelmed that everything seems impossible: work is piling up; I have 3 essays due in a week; I haven't called my parents in weeks; I'm so tired I feel crazy! It happens to all of us and it is HARD to deal with. So how do you even begin to fix things? Well first you need to get rid of some of that tension: work out, go outside, sleep, cry, have a good meal, do whatever you need to get into a workable headspace. Next, try the steps above. Figure out what can be dropped and what you need to tackle first then make a plan for getting it done. I won't lie sometimes I've decided to hand in an assignment late and take a hit on a piece of good work rather than handing in something that will just get me a pass. It's my last resort, but it keeps me sane.
5. Know when to ask for help.
If you really cannot do any of the above, maybe it's time to ask for help. Ask a coworker to cover your shift; e-mail your TA and tell them you can't get your paper done on time; tell your friends you just need someone to talk you through it. And don't forget there are lots of places on campus you can turn to to help manage the stress of being an involved student: Dons in residence are there for you 24/7, peer mentors and academic advisers work in every college, Health Ed has a whole team dedicated to Stress Management, and YorkU offers free counselling for students who just need to talk.
For me, I've been lucky to have very understanding family and friends who understand that I can't always pick up the phone or go out with them. I've also been lucky to meet a lot of people I work with who are super helpful and have become great friends! But being a student is hectic, and there are a million things always on the go and sometimes people underestimate how much pressure students are under. Remember you're not alone, and there's always a way to get through it happy and healthy!
"I like to think of myself as a superhero, and my super power is being a student." - Me, on my twitter page (is it really arrogant to quote myself?)
1. Learn to say "no"
Once I had the opportunity to get involved, I wanted to get involved with everything. The year I was President of McLaughlin College Council, I was automatically on at least 5 different committees and people were always asking for me to be on more. I was working myself ragged and I just couldn't keep up and eventually I realized I just could not do it. As much as I would have loved to have joined these other projects, there is no way I would have been able to give them the dedication they deserved, so I had to learn to say no.
2. Prioritize.
One year I was working as a Peer Health Educator, a Night Porter, a Residence Programmer, a McLaughlin College Council associate, and I was a full time student. Inevitably, everything at some point or another would conflict so I had to pick and choose which commitments I would be able to make. I couldn't porter Thursday nights because I was working Heath Ed events at pub night. I couldn't go on MCC trips because I'd have to porter Saturday nights (to make up for the Thursdays). To top it all off, I'd bring homework everywhere so I could get everything done.
3. Have fun!
The minute being in a club or on council or volunteering feels like hard work is when it starts becoming unbearable and stressful. So yes it is technically work, but you don't want it to feel that way! Even schoolwork is easier when it's fun. I would have study parties with my friends to get through exams, or we'd play games and tell jokes while portering to pass the time. Council work was never really work if I was with friends. It sounds overly simple and a little silly but really if you're happy you'll manage everything so much better.
4. Sometimes it's better late than never (Oh, and it's okay to cry.)
I have been in places where I've been so overwhelmed that everything seems impossible: work is piling up; I have 3 essays due in a week; I haven't called my parents in weeks; I'm so tired I feel crazy! It happens to all of us and it is HARD to deal with. So how do you even begin to fix things? Well first you need to get rid of some of that tension: work out, go outside, sleep, cry, have a good meal, do whatever you need to get into a workable headspace. Next, try the steps above. Figure out what can be dropped and what you need to tackle first then make a plan for getting it done. I won't lie sometimes I've decided to hand in an assignment late and take a hit on a piece of good work rather than handing in something that will just get me a pass. It's my last resort, but it keeps me sane.
5. Know when to ask for help.
If you really cannot do any of the above, maybe it's time to ask for help. Ask a coworker to cover your shift; e-mail your TA and tell them you can't get your paper done on time; tell your friends you just need someone to talk you through it. And don't forget there are lots of places on campus you can turn to to help manage the stress of being an involved student: Dons in residence are there for you 24/7, peer mentors and academic advisers work in every college, Health Ed has a whole team dedicated to Stress Management, and YorkU offers free counselling for students who just need to talk.
For me, I've been lucky to have very understanding family and friends who understand that I can't always pick up the phone or go out with them. I've also been lucky to meet a lot of people I work with who are super helpful and have become great friends! But being a student is hectic, and there are a million things always on the go and sometimes people underestimate how much pressure students are under. Remember you're not alone, and there's always a way to get through it happy and healthy!
"I like to think of myself as a superhero, and my super power is being a student." - Me, on my twitter page (is it really arrogant to quote myself?)
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