Author: sour patch kids

Everyone gets stressed out, it’s a common thing, right? Having too much to do is one of my big stressors. Focusing on my schoolwork, practice schedule, and work schedule drives me crazy. Being a student athlete is fun up until it’s time to travel, have games, and practice all in one week. I wouldn’t trade my sport for the world but sometimes it becomes a lot to handle. Practicing 3 times a week and focusing on getting my assignments done is a big stressor for me. Sadly, my season is ending, but this will allow me to have a more open schedule for school. Time management is something that I am still working on. That is probably the biggest reason I am stressed out. It’s hard to keep everything in line when you have a busy schedule.
While having a busy schedule, I also have class work to worry about. Spring semester is always harder for me than fall semester. I decided to take 5 classes this semester without realizing that I picked a second half of the semester course. Throwing on a course right after getting off of spring break was not the best idea. I have found ways that work for me to get my schoolwork done, and now I have to add another class in there as well. Since it is only a 7-week course I am super stressed out about how fast pace the course is going to be. I’m going to be taking in a lot of information in a short period of time. I also took an art history class this semester as well. The thing that stresses me out is that everything is due on Wednesdays. Why the middle of the week? I am so busy Monday-Wednesday it’s hard for me to find time to do the assignments he gives. It’s also not easy assignments either. This week I have vocabulary I have to type. There are around 7 words, but he requires a 200-word minimum for each term. That class over all is where most of my stress comes from.

I have made many changes this semester from what I did last semester. Last semester I used to wait until the last minute to start an assignment. I was very busy with work and cheer that my schedule was packed so I didn’t have much time. I would wait until the day an assignment was due to start it. This semester I have tried to cut that because it was making my anxiety really bad. I would also adding unneeded stress to myself. I try to start an assignment way before it is due now. Last semester I also would not schedule relaxation time. I would just pack my schedule full and run myself very thin. This semester I have dedicated my Saturdays to myself. I don’t think about school or even open my computer. This has helped my stress level and anxiety go down.
While I have made many changes from last semester, I also have things that I have kept the same. I have found a good way to study last semester that I have kept the same this semester. I like to study for 25 minutes and then give myself a little brain break for 5 minutes. This strategy seems to keep me focused and I tend to remember the content a lot better. I actually learned this from my history professor I had last semester, and it has been very useful. Another thing I have kept the same is not having classes on Fridays. I like to have my Fridays free to work and go to practice. This allows me to have a little break from class and be able to do personal things like laundry or cleaning my apartment. This has allowed me to also plan the following week as well. I also like to keep a monthly calendar on my iPad. I usually do this before a new month starts or right at the beginning of the month. I put all my assignments that are due for the month, my work schedule, and all my practices and games. This has helped me stay organized and make sure my assignments are turned in on time.