Tag Archives: time management

Hello! Hola! Bonjour!

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Hello! Hola! Bonjour!

Hello everyone, I am Aziza, your new Student Life Communications Intern at U of T, and I’ll be blogging here for the summer.

I know many of our readers are either undergrads or about to become undergrads, so brace yourself: I am a Graduate Student.

But wait, we are not so different!!

Don’t think of us as the Dursleys…

We get scared, uneasy about school, and hesitant about meeting others also. I was so nervous prior to starting at OISE (U of T’s Faculty of Education) because I had not been in school for – *gulp* - six years.

So, like some of you, this is my first year at U of T, and I’ve had to do a lot of investigative work to find my niche on campus as well. In between juggling mounds of paper writing, late nights and early mornings, coursework, meeting new people, and learning so many (so many!) new things, this year has been a ride.

In my previous, non-student life, I taught English in Spain for two years, learned how to Salsa dance, finally got around to cooking decent meals, and lived out my undergraduate days in Montreal.

While my studies are pretty much limited to OISE, this year has opened up my world in many different ways. I have learned that participation in class is always welcome – even if I make a mistake now and then. And that yes, I do need to eat while writing a 20-pager. And that if I want to produce my best work, well, I have to take care of me first! And finally, on the darkest of days, when I question why I am here and what all this is for, that a smile can go a long way.

I look forward to working with the Student Life Community Crew this summer, and to hearing all of your valiant voices as you conquer your visions for your future (or simply conquer you next exam) – He-Man and She-Ra style.

Best of luck to you all as you wrap up your respective school years. Check back with us, share your stories and let us keep you up-to-date as you move into summer!

Till soon,

Aziza

Ms. Worrier vs. Ms. Warrior

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So here I am. My final post of the school year. This year has been …surprising, to say the least. And having to write blog posts on a weekly basis has compelled me to reflect on the events in my life more consciously than I normally would. Of all the things I’ve learned this school year (in and out of the classroom), the one that sticks most with me is this. I’m a worrier. I’ve always stressed about everything more than the average student. But this year, I realized that I live in the future too much. I spend so much time worrying about things that may happen that I miss out on many great opportunities.

I like knowing what will happen. What does my mind do with the unknown? It predicts what will happen. And my inner cynic dictates that most predictions are negative, creating more anxiety. It’s a vicious cycle.

But this year, I’ve figured out that control is an illusion. I can’t “control” what happens to me but I can manage my reaction. If I keep doing what I’ve been doing, I’m always going to be a worrier.

That’s why my goal for year’s end is simple:

To live in the present as much as possible.

I want to get out of my own head and stop losing time in the future (and the past). I realize it’s important to think about the possibilities that the future holds and marvel at the memories that the past carries but being in the present is definitely something I need to work on.

Since I’m not accustomed to living in the present, I took it upon myself to do some research. See what the experts were saying about the Here and Now. After some research, I’ve come up with an action plan.

How I will live in the present:

1. BREATHE (deeply).

2. Smile.

3. Forgive the past.

4. Dream big but work hard.

5. Do less.

6. Do one thing at a time.

7. Be flexible.

8. Dress comfortably.

9. Volunteer.

10. Spread the love.

I’ve printed off two copies of this list. I’ve put one on my bathroom mirror and the other in my binder. I’m going to make an honest effort to live in the present from now on. To remind myself that the present moment is just as precious as the future I’m trying to build. After all, “If you worry about what might be, and wonder what might have been, you will ignore what is.”

Ishita

March Madness Madder Than Ever

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It’s March again. The end of the school year is approaching and it’s crunch time. Everyone I know (myself included) is up to their necks in midterms, assignments, and essays. It’s hard enough as it is to keep track of deadlines and due dates and to work ahead. But this March, I find myself more swamped than usual. Not only am I balancing the regular workload of my courses, it has seemed that my personal life is (a lot) more active than it generally is. My relationships have been a little rocky as of late. Friends and family are snappier than I remember and I’m having a hard time keeping everyone satisfied. On top of that, my family is moving and the pressure and inconvenience that comes with selling a house are definitely starting to take their toll.

During these days, I often wish that I had the ability to stop time so to sort through my responsibilities and emotions. The world moves so fast and as a student, it can be hard to catch your breath. Where’s the manual that teaches us to balance the work at school AND the work at home? The work we do professionally and the time and effort we invest into our personal lives? Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be one. So we’re expected to “adjust” as we go along. We’re expected to “deal with it.” And normally, I find that I deal with it just fine. But this March, I’m overwhelmed and frustrated. How do I make the expectations stop? Sometimes, it feels like no one notices the stress we’re under. Everyone seems to be on top of their work while you’re struggling just to keep up. But this week, I learned that people do notice. And more than that, they do care.

This Tuesday, I bumped into my professor on my way into class. He held the door open for me and in an attempt to make small talk, he asked me how I was doing. Completely unintentionally, I burst into tears. I don’t think that that was the reaction he was expecting to get but he offered such genuine concern that I’m almost glad it happened. Students often joke at they are “just a number” at UofT but I find that there are many shoulders to lean on if you reach out.

So reach out!

- Use your friends and family as support. Talk to your professors and your registrar. You’ll be surprised to learn that more people care than it initially seems.

- Learn to change your expectations and priorities. Set boundaries and say “no.” There’s a limit to the number of tasks you can juggle so cut yourself some slack.

- Take yourself out.

- Smile.

- Splurge on a massage or a better printer. Or on whatever will help you get over the slump.

- Attend campus events, like those held by St. Mike’s: March Forward (http://smccampuslife.tumblr.com/post/44631112270/keep-calm-and-march-forward).  Remind yourself that there are living, talking, walking people out there!

It can be so uplifting to realize that the people around us recognize that we’re not essay-producing, midterm-writing, responsibility-fulfilling machines. And we need to recognize it too.

Till next week,

Ishita

The Week I Dropped the Ball and Everything Fell Apart

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The week after reading week, A.K.A, the week everything was due. And I have yet to meet all the deadlines and the week is now long over. Yep, I dropped the ball. Not because I am a lazy or irresponsible student, but because I just had so much going on outside of school that I just couldn’t focus enough to perform my duties as a student. The last month has been full of hospital hopping, loooooonger hospital shifts and many setbacks in my dad’s recovery. And I don’t know how to explain to my profs that sometimes I just can’t come to class or finish an assignment on time because of reasons I hate having to give again and again.

I can’t tell a prof that the reason I couldn’t finish this assignment was because I’ve been having nightmares and flashbacks which have been hindering my ability to focus. They will think I’m a pity case or am always making excuses. I can’t just tell a prof that I was in the building of the class at the time of the class but just couldn’t come to class because my heart was beating louder and faster than it should and a two-hour discussion was something I could not endure. I can’t tell fellow club executives that I feel overwhelmed with all of my extracurricular commitments because that would be letting them down. And I can’t tell my employers that the reason  I’ve been MIA is that I feel like my life is falling apart and that I’m slipping through the cracks. I just can’t. Even if I do, they won’t be able to understand the kind of pressures involved in my situation. And I hate asking for help, making excuses and being such a flake.

And I don’t want to share such personal details with the my professors, employers and colleagues but I have to in order to explain to them my flakiness. Sometimes I just want to scream LEAVE ME ALONE, you’ll get the assignment when you get it, I don’t care about the late penalties. And I did that for a bit by ignoring emails, assignment deadlines and running from myself. But I know how irresponsible that is and I really need to prioritize my grades and commitments again.

I think what I need to do is speak to my registrar again and ask for accommodation. Suffering in silence got me nowhere. I’m also going to start communicating my needs better to my profs, employers and colleagues and stop feeling so guilty about my situation. And Im also seriously considering moving my graduation date to November 2013.  I don’t know how but somehow I’m going to get through this. I’ll figure it out. I always do.

All I have to say to you this week is: Don’t suffer in silence, U of T.

I did that for a week. And it just made everything a bigger mess. There are people here who care! And even if they don’t totally understand your situation, if you tell them, or communicate to them what kind of help you need, then they can locate better-suited accommodations for your situation. Don’t be ashamed of your baggage.

-Sarah

The Art of Forgiving Yourself

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“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

- Mahatma Gandhi

We’ve all heard the expression “forgive and forget.”  For most people, it seems, that expression only applies to other people. We’re supposed to give loved ones, whether they be friends, family members, partners, or others, second chances. And that can be a struggle, especially when we have been wronged.  But I’ve learned that one of the hardest things to do is to forgive yourself for mistakes that you’ve made.

My first year was my worst.  Hands-down.  UofT intimidated me.  I can still remember walking into Con Hall and thinking “there are more students in this one class than in my entire high school.”  I lived in residence but homesickness took over within a few weeks. I struggled through my courses and felt a little lost on campus.  It wasn’t until the end of Year 1 that I decided to talk to someone.

I booked an appointment with my registrar’s office and walked my advisor through my issues.  I asked her to fix my situation. To make it right.  I wanted her to give me a step-by-step solution to all my troubles.  I wanted her to turn back time.

What she said to me completely through me off because it was so unexpected and seemed so irrelevant.  She looked me in the eye and asked me “If your best friend came to you with this issue, what would be the first thing that you say?”

I wasn’t really sure where this was going but I said “I’d tell her not to give up.”

“Oh?”

“Well yeah. I’d tell her to cut herself some slack.  Everyone makes mistakes.  And she’s resourceful enough to recover from a setback.”

And then she said “So why can’t you say that to yourself?  Why doesn’t that apply to you?”

I think that was one of the first times I realized that it’s okay to make mistakes.  To not have everything figured out.  Forgiving yourself doesn’t mean that you don’t have to deal with the consequences of your actions (and yes, there will be consequences).  It just means that those consequences don’t have to include shame, guilt, or depression.

I remember asking my advisor “if I’m not hard on myself, won’t people think that I’m not taking my situation seriously?”

She pointed out “do you think that your loved ones want you to be moping around?  Or do you think they’d prefer it if you were resourceful and found a way to rectify your situation?”

“Maybe I should change my study habits.”

“And you will. But before you can do that, you need to move on.  And the only way to do that is to forgive yourself.”

I remember walking out of the registrar’s office with a sense of relief.  I didn’t have a step-by-step solution to my problem like I’d hoped.  But I figured out a way to re-channel my time and energy to improving my situation instead of beating myself up over it.

I think, in the midst of the expectations that others have for us and those that we have for ourselves, we forget that we are human. That we fail.  And that presents one of the biggest barriers to letting go of the past and moving on.  Reminding ourselves that we are worthy of forgiveness is half the battle.

Till next time,

Ishita

Student Burn Out — Stressful Times Call For Simple Measures

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Most of us have days when we feel overloaded, overwhelmed, and underappreciated. When the dozen or so balls we keep in the air aren’t manageable. When dragging ourselves out of bed requires the determination of Hercules. It’s called burn out. If the “lacklusterness” of school or my day-to-day routine lasts for over a month, I consider myself burnt out. But it helps in knowing that I’m not alone and that it’s not permanent. I’ve even found that it is possible to feel content and stimulated with a full course load! All it requires is a little bit of organization and a whole lot of motivation. Burn out may visit from time-to-time but it definitely doesn’t have to stay!

This school year, I have experienced greater levels of burnout than I normally do. I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve entered my senior years of university and have to start making concrete decisions about the rest of my life or if it’s because the stress of the past several years has built to the point of overflowing. In any case, the emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion that I have felt the first few months of the academic year have rendered my problems insurmountable.

I suppose that the stress of managing 5 courses, 3 on-campus jobs, and a handful of personal and professional relationships was bound to take its toll sooner or later. This past semester, every day was a bad day. The negative effects of my burn out spilled into other aspects of my life. To top it off, I was sick with headaches, stomachaches, toothaches, body aches (you get the picture!) for most of the semester.

Thankfully, after several sessions of personal reflection, I’ve been able to reassess my priorities and regain my footing. When I finally accepted it for what it was, I decided to simplify my daily activities to regain control of them. I started taking regular breaks while studying. I stopped thinking about Tasks 3, 4, or 5 when I wasn’t even done Task 1. I changed what I ate to spice things up. And I wrote. I wrote down my frustrations on a piece of paper and read them out loud. Then I ripped up the piece of paper into as many pieces as I possibly could. I can’t describe how liberating it felt. And over time, the burnout faded away.

Since then, I’ve taken several steps to prevent another burnout from becoming a full-blown breakdown:

1) Lately, I’ve been starting every day with a relaxing ritual. Rather than jumping out of bed the moment I wake up, I spend at least fifteen minutes every morning meditating, reading, or day dreaming. I’ve realized that stress-free mornings translate into stress-free days.

2) I’ve set boundaries, which has probably been one of the smartest things that I’ve done during my undergrad years. I’ve started to say “no” to requests that demand my time and willpower. Saying “no” to certain requests has allowed me to say “yes” to the tasks I truly want to accomplish.

3) I’ve resolved to take a daily break from technology. Once a day, for at least half an hour (better than nothing!), I completely disconnect – shut off my computer and turn off my phone. Somehow, I find it strangely comforting when I can’t be contacted for short periods of time.

Experiencing burn out, whether or not it’s full-blown, is a risk of being a student (especially at UofT!) Some months look bleaker than others and that’s okay. It’s important to remind ourselves, however, that the best part about burn out is that it’s temporary.

Stay healthy,

Ishita

Goals That I Probably Will/Might/Probably-Won’t-But-Like-To-Tell-Myself-I-Will Accomplish This Year

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Hello bloggies!

I hope you enjoyed your holidays!

I feel like I haven’t posted since last year. (Ha, see what I did there?)  I’ve spent the past few days trying to actively pull myself out of Holiday Mode (somewhat unsuccessfully I may add).  I’m not a fan of New Year’s Resolutions because I forget what I resolved to do come January the 2nd.  But in an attempt to remind myself that I can’t lie in bed forever, I wrote up a list of goals that I probably will/might/probably-won’t-but-like-to-tell-myself-I-will accomplish this year:

1) Express my appreciation to family and friends: We live in a fast-paced world and it seems that saying “thank you” has become underrated. And so, despite having a “Go! Go! Go!” mentality, I want to spend 2013 slowing down and smelling the roses.

2) Try new things: I’m not sure about the rest of you, but I don’t like change.  I prefer predictability.  I’m used to ordering the same thing at a restaurant, shopping at the same stores, and watching the same shows.  Needless to say, my world can get somewhat repetitive and uninteresting. In 2013, I am determined to try the strangest dish on the menu the next time I go out.  Or shop at the small vintage clothing store between the bank and the bakery.  Or watch the slightly questionable T.V. show that all my friends are crazy about. I’ll mention the new things I try in a follow-up post! Stay tuned!

3) Get my G2…finally: I realize that most 20-year olds have a driver’s license by now.  But I have an excuse, I promise!  When I was 16, the “I can finally drive now” realization didn’t hit me as hard as it hit some of my friends.  And when I entered university, the subway was more practical than a car, so it became very easy to put off my driving test. But it’s probably time to get on that.

4) Watch a football game: A friend of mine is football-obsessed. Truly. He actually schedules his classes according to game timings. (I know!)   He’s been begging me to watch a game since I’ve met him.  And because I’m athletically-challenged, I’ve been avoiding it as long as I possibly can.  But sitting through a game would be the perfect way to achieve Goals 1 and 2 (see above).  So I hereby decree that I will force myself to watch 22 sweaty men chasing an inanimate object football at least once this year ;-) .  If I’m honest, though, this is one of the goals that I probably-won’t-but-like-to-tell-myself-I-will accomplish in 2013.

5) Complete all readings for my courses in the week that they are assigned: Seems like the easiest way to avoid procrastination, right?

6) Fit in fitness: Have you ever noticed that laziness gives rise to more laziness?  I always seem to get more accomplished when I am swamped.  I recently found a mobile app called MyFitnessPal that calculates your caloric intake based on food choices and activity level (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/).  I’m planning on using it to track my diet and exercise.  It’s not about losing weight.  I’m just hoping that keeping a “Fitness Journal” of sorts will reduce the amount of junk food I eat!  Maybe adding regular exercise/fitness to my schedule will increase my productivity ten-fold!  Wouldn’t that be lovely?

Looking at my list, I’m proud to say that many of my goals seem doable and realistic.  I might actually achieve them!  If I do, I’ll let you know. And if I don’t, please remind me!

Good luck with your goals this semester! I hope 2013 is your best year yet!

Till next week,

Ishita

Tech Trouble: Error Messages, Computer Crashes, and Corrupted Files

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I had an assignment due last Friday that reminded me how horrible I am at solving tech troubles. My Word file wouldn’t open, my USB key wouldn’t mount, and my printer ran out of ink. I spent the night moving between my laptop and desktop computers, rewriting portions of my essay. By the time I completed, printed, and stapled my assignment, my hair was in disarray and my attitude was sour.

Let me just say that I don’t consider myself a particularly tech-savvy individual. I can do the basics, of course. E-mail, MS Office, and surfing the net aren’t an issue!  But I’m not very good at dealing with anything out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, that includes error messages, computer crashes, and corrupted files. And lately, I’ve been experiencing a lot more of all that than I would like.

I always seem to fight my battles with technology when I’m short on energy, patience and time. And while I’m sure that poor time management skills contribute to half of my technical woes, I’m convinced that computer trouble is an inevitable and undesirable part of our incredibly high-tech society. That being said, I figured I’d share a few tips to prevent tech troubles from rearing their ugly head.

ALWAYS unplug your USB key safely. You may have realized that most computers are constantly warning you about disconnecting flash drives without ejecting. While those reminders can be unbelievably annoying, they are in place for your own benefit! Yanking out a drive while your computer is performing complicated actions in the background could easily corrupt your files (trust me, I know). There’s no reason not to eject your drives, and doing so will keep your data uber-safe.

Use online storage (as well as a USB key) to back-up your files. Many students use USB keys to store and backup their personal files. The problem is that USB keys (and the files on them!) can be lost, damaged, or corrupted.  A great alternative to a USB drive is using online storage services to backup and share your files, photos, and music. You can even get some of these services, like Dropbox, for free so there’s absolutely nothing to lose!

Turn off your computer at night.  I’m extremely guilty of leaving my computer turned on throughout the night. But shutting it down has more advantages than leaving it on. Doing so will save energy costs, for one. On top of that, it’ll ensure that your computer systems aren’t unnecessarily overworked. And that’s good news for you and your files!

Use a reliable anti-virus program. Unfortunately, just because you don’t open suspicious attachments on your email messages doesn’t mean that your computer is fully immune to virus infections. To protect your data, install and update a dependable anti-virus and Firewall program (http://antivirus.utoronto.ca/). Doing so will prevent access to harmful websites and wave hackers off your computer, protecting your data from corruption.

Upgrade your systems! Following up on system updates is stress free, automatic, and completely free.

I’m sure we’ve all had computer or printer problems at some point in our academic careers. If you have any tips on preventing data loss, please share them! I can use all the help I can get!

Till next time,

Ishita

Let’s Catch Some ZZZZzzzzzzz’s

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How many times has this happened to you? You’re spending an evening enjoying time with friends, surfing the Internet, or catching up on missed work. You tell yourself that you’ll watch one more episode of your favorite show or that you’ll cover one more chapter for that test on Friday, and the next thing you know, it’s 2 in the morning and you haven’t gotten into bed.

UofT doesn’t always make it easy to get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep that we require. While you’re scrambling to meet the demands of your life, cutting back on sleep often seems like the only answer. Who can afford to waste hours a day sleeping? The truth is, you can’t afford not to.

As I’m sure we’ve all heard at some point or other, sleep is essential for our health and well-being. Even minimal amounts of sleep loss affect our mood, energy, and ability to handle stress. While it’s important to meet the deadlines that loom ominously in the near future, it’s essential to realize that missing sleep to do so is often counter-productive. As exam season approaches, be sure to remind yourself that the following “facts” about sleep are actually only myths:

Myths About Sleep (According to the American Psychological Association)

Myth 1: Getting 1 hour less sleep per night won’t affect your daytime functioning.

Low levels of sleep can affect our ability to think and respond to situations effectively, can compromise our cardiovascular health and immune system, and can reduce our working memory resources. I guess those extra minutes browsing 9gag aren’t always worth it! 

Myth 2: Your body will adjust quickly to different sleep schedules.

Resetting our biological clock takes work! It can take our body weeks to adjust to small deviations in our sleeping pattern. In fact, by the time our body has fully adjusted to a change in our sleep schedule, we’ll probably change our sleep schedule again! 

Myth 3: Extra sleep at night will cure you of daytime fatigue.

Quality, not quantity! If you’re sleeping 8-9 hours every night but feel restless and tired during the day, there’s a good chance that the quality of sleep you’re getting is poor. It’s important to spend enough time in the different stages of sleep, particularly REM sleep, as demonstrated above. Like our professors, our bodies do not respond well to poor quality!

So, is there anything we can do to feel well-rested? Of course we can (or we can at least attempt to)! Follow these simple tips, recommended by the American National Sleep Foundation, and your body will be happier than it’s ever been before:

Tip 1: Aim for at least 7 hours per night. Although some of us need more sleep than others, 7 hours is a minimum. Consistency is key!

Tip 2: Try not to accumulate sleep debt! If you lose sleep, make it up in 1-2 hour installments over the week. The amount of sleep you need and the amount of sleep you get should balance!

Tip 3: Make sleep a priority! Schedule time for sleep! Sound silly? You schedule time for work and play because they are important to you. It’s important to put sleep at the top of your to-do list too! Improve the quality of your sleep by reading a book before bedtime, cutting back on caffeine, and exercising. You’ll be happier and healthier.

For more information on sleep, visit http://healthandwellness.utoronto.ca/pdfs/BetterHealth-A.htm

Till next week,

Ishita

P.S. How ironic is it that I wrote this post at 3 AM in the morning? I promise I’ll follow my own advice from now on!

Minding Our Minds

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My first year at UofT was rough. It was my first time away from home. I was truly independent and on my own. I remember thinking the freedom would be liberating.  But it wasn’t.  Not for me, anyways.  Adjusting to university life took me longer than I had expected. The large class sizes, the intimidating professors, the competitive environment.  I was mentally and emotionally exhausted when the year came to a close.  The pressure completely consumed me and I remember feeling broken.

I did a bit of soul-searching during the summer between my first and second year.  I remember asking myself some tough questions.  Was UofT for me?  Was any university for me?  Was I smart enough?  Would I make it?  I was scared, terrified actually, to reach out to someone.  Wouldn’t that make me weak?  Everyone else seemed to be coping just fine.  Why was I the only one who was struggling?

It took me a while, but I did finally ask for guidance.  I approached friends, family, and my college registrar to address the academic and personal issues that I was fighting against.  The sense of relief was overwhelming and it helped me get my life back on the right track. Looking back, I’ve realized that I would have been happier in first year had I admitted to myself and others that I was mentally drained.

Why do we find it difficult or embarrassing to address mental pressures? Society promotes physical health.  Yet, topics of mental health and emotional stability seem to have an aura of prejudice and intolerance around them.  I suppose we are all afraid of being “crazy.”  Interestingly enough, however, we are more likely to experience mental illness than physical illness during our lifetimes.

On Friday, I attended a conference at Victoria College titled “Minding Our Minds: Mental Health in University.”  The conference began with two panel discussions, titled “The Crisis of Mental Illness on Campus – Why Diagnoses are on the Rise” and “University Programmes and Best Practice in Preventative and Responsive Models.”  The talks addressed numerous mental illnesses, including depression, a disorder common amongst university and college students.

A closing address was delivered by Dr. David Goldbloom, a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto and the Chair of the Canadian Mental Health Association. Dr. Goldman spoke on the stigma and discrimination surrounding the topic of mental health, suggesting that it is an unnecessary obstacle for patients suffering from mental diseases and disorders.

The talks made me think about the way we view and project mental struggles or illness.  I’ve come to realize that mental distress can be just as torturous as physical pain, if not more so.  And contrary to what some believe, “get over it” is not very helpful advice. If you feel stressed or overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to ask for help.  Your friends, family, college registrar, and Counselling and Psychological Services (http://www.caps.utoronto.ca/main.htm) at UofT will be able to pull you out of a dreadful situation and give you new perspective. And we can all use that from time to time.

Asking for help won’t make you “crazy” or “weak.”  It’ll probably make you saner and stronger than you’ve ever been.

Till next time,

Ishita