Time terrors

Has student multi-tasking gone too far?

By Chandler Walter, Columnist

The life of a post-secondary student is filled with planning and deadlines, sacrifices, and compromise. As we approach the end of the semester, the pressures of school, work, and life start making stacks on stacks on stacks—of stress. In this fast-paced world, one must be creative to keep up; and, as we found out talking to students on campus, Douglas College students are very creative.

Many students have admitted to taking naps on the bus or in class, though even these stolen moments of unconsciousness are not enough for Kyle Hammond, a second-year Douglas College student.

“I don’t have much free time,” he said. “I eat my breakfast bagel in the shower. It gets soggy, but I can get it down quicker.”

Hammond has a full-time job and attends Douglas College four days a week. He has found that a scattered sleep schedule frees up some much-needed hours.

“If you do away with the usual eight hours and just take naps throughout the day, you trick your body to jump straight into REM sleep. It’s not ideal, but 2 a.m.–6 a.m. is when I get most of my homework done. I’ll have time to sleep in December.”

As is the case with Monica Milani. I managed to get a few minutes with her during her study time in the library.

Milani, a 22-year-old nursing student, is capable of some incredible feats in multi-tasking.

“I usually have headphones in while I study, though it’s not music. I read one textbook while listening to the audiobook version of another,” She said, her eyes darting back and forth on a well-worn text.

“I don’t know how, it just works.”

Milani doesn’t let her busy schedule rob her of a social life, however, as she makes time to see her friends on the weekends.

“Yeah, that was terrible. I had to write out a full essay in the notes section on my phone while we were at the club. Pretended I was texting my boyfriend the whole time.”

Unfortunately we had to end our interview with Milani there, so she could get back to the three assignments that she was working on.

The only advice I can offer is this: don’t mix Adderall with alcohol, kids.