Hey, Lucy! I’ve been so stressed! Recently, I applied to four colleges and still need to do my financial aid, my grades aren’t great, and I have two essays to complete. How do I balance all of this?
Confused in Key Biscayne
Heyyy!
That sounds roooough. You’re prowling on common yet clamorous territory. However, this isn’t my first rodeo! I’ve heard tons of tales like this and luckily, I can provide you some worthy advice.
Here’s my take:
First things first: If you struggle with procrastination, you have GOT TO GET RID OF ALL DISTRACTIONS. You can fuel your social media-induced parasocial relationships with your favorite celebrities AFTER you finish your work. If you have to lock your phone in a vault in order to keep yourself from doom-scrolling, so be it! The unfortunate reality is that you need as much time as you can get and your distractions will eat away at this time without you even noticing it. However, there’s a fine line between control and deprivation! Allow yourself breaks to indulge, but be sure not to OVER-indulge. Balance is key… (I’d know; I’m a Libra.)
Also, I cannot stress this enough: Don’t worsen your stress by imposing massive expectations on yourself from the get-go! Overworking can lead you to a block that’s hard to get out of. Instead, take it all one day at a time! Identify your priorities. Then, create a schedule or routine for yourself that works for you while still keeping your deadlines in mind. Just take an hour or two a day to truly focus on your assignments. As you get used to your workload, you can increase how much time you work a day and begin to revise your work to increase its quality. By doing this, you ease yourself into the process plus it will help the weight on your shoulders feel not as heavy! Perfectionism can be a blessing or a curse– Don’t let it become the latter.
I know asking for help can feel humbling, but it’s also super beneficial! Reach out for help from your teachers, parents, or even peers; a strong support system is so important because having someone to lean on can make the stress not feel as suffocating. Find your pack!
In the end, the painful truth is that no matter what you do, you’re gonna be at least a little stressed. It’s hardly possible to juggle that many high-pressure tasks without feeling a little overwhelmed. However, this stress doesn’t need to eat you alive… And, guess what? It won’t. This chapter of your life will pass in a second! As you work hard, just remember how good it will feel when it’s all over… And how much lost sleep you will win back. Think about the sense of relief you will experience when you’re done with all your tedious tasks. That is a fantastic motivator to get it all completed; don’t you think?
I guess what I’m trying to say is that time management and self-care are key. Always keep your end goal in mind!
I hope I was able to help even a little bit. You got this!
Need advice? Reach out! You can submit your woes and inquiries to lucy@ilsroyals.com!
Be sure to keep up with me and tune in for the latest roar!
Stay fierce!
Lucy
About Lucy: ILS’s new advice columnist enjoys spending time at the campus “jungle” near the moon temple, chasing after stray foxes, and listening to her varied Spotify playlists. Her long-time experience navigating the ins and outs of life on our campus has given her a depth of wisdom capable of addressing any of your concerns.