Oh, all the things to do...
How do you get through to-do lists? You hack away at each item, one by one. My problem is always wanting to do everything and everything at once. My sense of priorities is limited to deadlines, and really, deadlines are probably the worst kind of organizing principle. I always end up:
Let's hope this is the quarter I finally get my act together and cut out all the excess-and stop wasting time once and for all! I am determined, but determination is not enough! I need to have a plan of action. And that's what I'm working through right now.
:: real-life snapshot ::
- spending a disproportionate amount of time on assignments due earlier compared to ones due later (even when the later ones are weighed more heavily in my grade)
- prioritizing physical assignments (e.g. written essays) over abstract ones (e.g. readings)
- procrastinating on to-do items with no finite deadline (e.g. sending e-mails, blogging, writing fiction, reading for leisure, organizing my notes, etc.)
Let's hope this is the quarter I finally get my act together and cut out all the excess-and stop wasting time once and for all! I am determined, but determination is not enough! I need to have a plan of action. And that's what I'm working through right now.
:: real-life snapshot ::
- First week of the new quarter! I am excited about my classes-although my mind is still in "break mode," wandering in the realm of TV shows and fanfiction, rather than course readings and writing assignments. I am taking "War, Identity and Imagination in Contemporary American Society" (a special topics course-I had no idea what the topic would be when I registered for classes), "Gender and Sexuality" (one of the core courses for sociocultural anthropology majors), "Culture and Emotion" (with the same professor who sent me that wonderful e-mail last quarter!), and "Humans Are Cultural Animals" (an overview of biological anthropology).
I can see the first three courses, in particular, pushing me a lot-as a writer and a thinker. It's easy to forget how situated I am in my particular historical, economic, religious, and ethnic context, and studying anthropology has really helped me to grow in understanding and empathy and avoid writing my cultural models over other people's behavior and practices. Decomposing all these ingrained assumptions is difficult and challenging, and I may not always agree with everything I'm taught, but I'm certainly wiser for learning it. (Although I'm really much too young to have experienced much of anything, and realizing this more and more is extremely humbling.)
- Very quick TV recap. Surprisingly, The Mentalist is the only show I'm all caught up with, and I'm very excited for it to come back. This show was one of the lowest priority on my list, but this season really impressed me by how tightly plotted and well-done it was.
- Saw the beginning of Star Trek on the plane, and now, I have the urge to rewatch it! One of my favorite films of last year (despite having no previous Star Trek experience, whatsoever).
- Being at school always sabotages my singing! Gah. Must fight tendency for technique to decline. (Trying to sing quietly shoots my voice to pieces.)
Okay, I'm skipping off now. Yay for more concise post. =P