When sh*t hits the fan

How to keep in control of your life

By Megan Jewell, Contributor

Attending school can be extremely overwhelming—with assignments, tests, and maintaining your overall grade average, there’s days when you experience such mental and emotional burnout that there’s just no hiding it. Here’s some helpful suggestions for when life is running you to the ground.

Prepare the night before

We all know what it’s like when you wake up and your stuff is everywhere, with clothes, food, assignments, and everything else you need to accomplish your goals for the day just scattered to the wind. It’s even better when you wake up late on a very important day, and unfortunately can’t make it on time because everything is in the wrong place. Save yourself the hassle and pure anxiety—pack your bag and set your clothes out the night before. Putting everything aside for the next day gives you a sense of satisfaction and also lets you sleep in a little in the morning.

Resist making demanding social plans

Have you ever been at home or studying and someone texts you saying, “Are we still on for tonight?” You can’t bail because you already have three times, but you also want to sit in the shower for 45 uninterrupted minutes? When your life is school and work, or sometimes just school, it’s very hard to be as attentive as you were when you had more free time. Yes, you might text people, and yes, you might be able to see a friend, but when school gets overwhelming and you’ve been wearing the same outfit for three days, making plans with someone and letting them down again is seriously stressful. You bail, you feel bad, and your friend might be hurt or feel unimportant. The fact is that sometimes in life you simply have to put yourself first. When you can’t remember what day it is, I doubt you’ll want to remember that you promised a friend a night of partying before your 9 a.m. class.

Acceptance

Imagine someone carrying two litres of water in both hands. Add some books on their head. Add some extra weight on their shoes. Add a heavy belt. Eventually you’d look at this person and be like hey, you should let go of that weight. How is being busy any different? You can’t do everything at once. You can’t always be there for your friends, go to every party, attend every family get together, and consistently pick up extra work shifts. It’s overwhelming and exhausting. Just accept that some things are going to have to go ignored.

Write everything down

Whether you highlight everything in your planner or write everything down as a note in your phone, just make sure you stay organized in some sense. I applaud those people who don’t ever write anything down and still seem to always be on top of their responsibilities. Write out your week, your work schedule, and a lists of errands you can do on your day off—but just make sure you make time for yourself as well.