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The closer we get to the summer the less work I want to do. With summer right around the corner it’s hard to stay focused. The problem is a big portion of grading comes from the final week of school. My brain usually tries telling me it needs a break because finals can be a strenuous time. The last couple weeks don’t have to be stressful as long as you don’t push all the work off till the final week. Teachers give you a long heads up before final tests and papers, so stress can be avoided. Procrastinating like myself can make the last week a little more stressful. If you get in summer mode too quick then grades can take a major hit. It’s really just a matter of pushing yourself for the final week of school and finish strong. Then right after finals it’s time to sit in the sun drinking lemonade or whatever you enjoy doing in the summer. Summer is not far off, but finish strong. Good luck to everyone!
Filed under: Bloggers, Class of 2013, Mike, Uncategorized | Tags: Mike, School, Stress, summer
I can not believe that my freshman year is already coming to an end. Orientation feels like yesterday, but now summer is right around the corner. The final two weeks can be a stressful. Of course everyone is looking forward to summer, but the finishing touches have to be done in every class. You don’t want to be the kid that has done well in all their class, but throws it all away the final two weeks of the year since summer is right around the corner. Finishing strong is important because it makes for a more relaxing summer. The final two weeks may be a little stressful, but as long as you manage your time it’s not that stressful. If you don’t manage your time well like me then you end up being a little stressed, but I’ll make sure I’ll my work gets done. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up with enjoying college and the work gets pushed aside. Freshman year is a good time to find the right balance. I have changed a lot since the beginning of the year. Hopefully all in good ways. I’ve learned a lot about myself freshman year, so hopefully each year I’ll continue to grow. As for finishing out this year I want to make sure I finish strong. Good luck to everyone who may be a little stressed, but nothing to it but to do it!
Filed under: Bloggers, EricaT | Tags: activities, duquesne, freshmen, opportunities, Stress
College students know that time is one thing there’s never enough of. Recently I’ve realized just how busy we all are,
and it’s a little hard to believe we all manage to get things done. My roommate and I were recently looking through our planners and joked that we may even have to start scheduling trips to the bathroom just to make time- the funny thing is I feel like my life could actually get to that point.
Currently, I’m taking five classes, writing for this blog, attending the SPIRIT Emerging Leader workshops, interviewing to be a 2010 Orientation Leader, getting ready to enter the Phi Eta Sigma national honor society, preparing to travel to Paris for Spring Break with my Impressionism class, and I also made the Dean’s List and Director’s Circle here at Duquesne. While I’m honored and happy to be a part of all these great organizations, it seems a little overwhelming when it’s spelled out like this.
I still do a few things each day to keep me healthy and sane like supporting the Dukes at basketball games (Yay for the win against St. Bona!), and I’m even getting the H1N1 vaccine to keep me from catching anything during my trip to Paris.
I’ve also noticed a difference in starting my second semester is that this one began just as busy as the last one ended. Whereas last semester I acquired an increasingly stricter schedule as time went on, I feel just as busy now as I did during finals weeks last December.
Another thing that amazes me, once again, is how many opportunities there are at Duquesne. I hear about new activities every day that seem like something I would love to be involved in, but there simply isn’t enough time. I’m just one person with a small list of extracurriculars, but there are hundreds of other activities here and thousands of students participating in them. After reading the posts from the other bloggers, it’s clear that I’m definitely not the only one taking advantage of everything on campus.
What I’m trying to get across to the readers is not that I have a tough life; in fact I love my life and wouldn’t trade it for the world. I really want everyone to know that we’re all stressing, but it’s a stress that comes with the reassurance that everything will pay off, and the busy schedule of today will bring about incredible opportunities tomorrow. Or at least that’s what I keep telling myself 😉
-Erica
Filed under: MattK, Uncategorized | Tags: basketball, class, duquesne, economics, Stress
Last night, I got to experience a rare treat: Duquesne basketball on national television. Granted, it was on ESPN U, which is about the 34th rung of ESPN channels, but it was better than what Duquesne usually gets (public access broadcasting).
Anyways, Duquesne pulled out a thrilling victory thanks to a game winning three pointer by Bill Clark, a former floormate of mine. It was an absolutely clutch shot, with two defenders smothering him, but he got it to rattle home. In spite of playing a fairly below average game, Duquesne managed to take the W over Iowa, 52-50.
It was a brief break for me during what has been a hectic last few weeks. The plus side is I’m leaving for home Friday and taking two days of classes off to see my family, watch my brother’s play, and go to a cousin’s wedding before Thanksgiving break starts. The negative is that, since I’m leaving early, I have a ton of work to do before I leave.
Yeah folks, it’s that time of year–the last month before the end of the semester.
I get done finals quite early this year–I’ll be finished everything three weeks from today. That’s great. But being in the economics program means I have two semester-long papers to finish soon, and since all the other economics students are in the same spot I’m in, getting help from my professors has proven difficult since they have the whole department to help. That’s not to mention the four exams and the media production project I have to prepare. Sometimes, getting out early doesn’t always mean you have things easy.
Why am I ranting about this? Because in times when you’re surrounded by work and time constraints, and anything less than your best shot isn’t good enough, you need to pull a Bill Clark. You need to rise up and put forth a concerted effort. You can’t let everything collapse around you and just chalk it up to “a bad semester.” You especially can’t do it come your junior year, where failing, withdrawing, or even taking a D or C can set you back a whole semester. Once you reach this point, your professors expect that you’ve figured out this whole “college” thing, even if no one can ever figure college life out.
I know this hasn’t been my best semester of college–work, activities, home life, and classwork have all been bearing down on me in a way they never have before. But even when you know you’ve struggled, you need to figure out a way to come out on top, recharge, and come back even stronger the next time, the way Duquesne and BC did Tuesday night.
-Matt
Filed under: Bloggers, Class of 2013, EricaT | Tags: Being Active, freshmen, Health, Staying Healthy, Stress
On top of making time for homework, fun, friends, work, clubs, and organizations, I’ve also been trying to make time each day to take care of my health. This involves caring for quite a few different aspects of my body and mind. Although it seems hard to do, I’ve been trying to get as much sleep as possible and I’ve also been taking vitamins each day to keep my immune system strong. Last week my routine was slowed down quite a bit last week after I caught a cold. Luckily, it wasn’t anything too serious, but college campuses are breeding grounds for all kinds of crazy germs just based on how many people live in a small area. While of course, washing and sanitizing your hands is a big help, it doesn’t hurt to make your body strong enough to defend itself in case the sanitizer fails. Trying to make healthy meal choices is important too.
In order to keep from getting too stressed, I try to take frequent breaks when I’m studying and do some form of exercise each day. Taking even a short run around campus or trip to the power center is a huge stress relief and it’s good for your body, too. Swimming in the pool during free-swim hours or participating in intramurals are really fun ways to stay active as well.
I also try to keep myself from getting into too much of a routine by switching things up each day, including the food I eat, the places I study, and where I hang out at night. I’ve found that doing my homework in my room every day gets boring and I get easily distracted, so lately I’ve been enjoying the weather outside while I study, or heading to Starbucks if it’s cooler. I can talk with people while I work and keep from feeling too overwhelmed.
I think, overall, just being aware that I need to take some time for myself helps a lot. Just don’t forget that it’s okay to take a homework break every once in while and pamper yourself. You’ll be happy you did 🙂
-Erica
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