Reality Check

Next semester will be my very last semester of college before graduating. These four years has been moving way too fast for me. I've learned so much and yet I feel underachieved. I can't help but to feel fearful about what is yet to come. There are so many possibilities out there in the world still and I foresee many paths ahead of me.

Once the month of February hit, I had a major reality check for myself. There's a lot going on this month and I feel a new bright beginning for myself. Amongst the many things, I realized I've been held back to achieve my personal goals mainly because of my parents. I haven't been able to push myself out of pleasing them.

My boyfriend has helped me take a huge step back and reexamine myself as an individual and how my parents have shaped me to be who I am today. For that I can't thank him enough for being there by my side through thick and thin these past three years. I need to move on beyond pleasing my parents and just do what's right for myself. I need to get on my two feet and get things going because life moves on with or without my parents expectations of me.

Creating my new Etsy store was just the beginning. I have to figure out my next move career wise as soon as possible. I realized how much I enjoyed designing this year. As you know I took my very first Web Design course during the winter semester and now I'm taking a Flash and 2D Animation course as well. As challenging as these classes are for me, I'm very excited to learn the art of design. In addition I will be working my profile website after I learn more familiar with designing am excited to launch hopefully this year.

I promise myself to work extra hard this year because underachievement is unacceptable in my book!

Stress No More College Students!!!

It's the middle of the semester, exams are bombarding you and you're trying to do everything as fast as possible. This is the time when college students say goodbye to sleep and you pull all nighters. Admit it, you love procrastinating but work builds up fast. Next thing you know, you have loads of work waiting for you stacked on your desk and readings for classes stacked up to the ceiling.

What can you do to prevent this?

1. The syllabus is our friend. There's a reason why the professor gives us a syllabus, it's to keep us posted on what we will be learning, reading, and homeworks that are due. It can be to our advantage to do readings ahead when you have free time instead of going out with friends or sleeping or just simply slacking off. Plan your time wisely and do as much work as you can early before they build up.

2. Make a list of your priorities. What is going to be due first? Make a list of the things that are going to be due if there are many things to be done. Most of us aren't taking just one course a semester, we're juggling four or more at a time. Write everything in a planner and get in the habit of looking at it everyday.

3. Is facebook, twitter, AIM or Skype distracting you from your work? Instead of immediately typing your essay on your computer why don't you get away from it and hand write it? Hand writing a paper is good because you can pick up on mistakes better than you can on the screen. Type your paper up afterwards and as you read and type, you're self-editing. You'll have to read it to yourself and often you'll catch mistakes you've made on the draft.

Say goodbye to loads of work and have more time to procrastinate and enjoy the weather. You don't have to fall behind classes anymore. Remember to get things done first, procrastinate after. You'll have all the time in the world to do whatever you want after the work is done.

What do you do to stay ahead in your classes? Were these tips helpful to you?