6 Assignments in 12 Days: The Final Two Weeks

Posted December 3, 2015 by Tara Pealer

For those wondering, I did win NaNoWriMo. I’m currently in the final throes of the semester, with a LibGuide, a presentation, a homework assignment, 2 discussion posts, 2 annotated bibliographies, and a five-minute instruction session standing between break and me. It’s a lot of work, but I’m sure if I focus and crack down, I’ll get everything done without being stressed. So, of course, this weekend I’ve made plans to go to the Boston Public Library Book Sale and go Christmas shopping.

I’m sitting in the SLIS lab co-working right now, and trying to not stare outside at the Simmons Green Cupola against the brilliant sky blue background. With winter break fighting its way toward us, and the end of the semester nigh, I have to keep reminding myself to focus on completing tasks and paying attention to the present here and now. Here are some of my tips for refocusing attention from ‘four weeks of no school’ to ‘6 assignments and 12 days left to get everything done’.

1. Co-working
2. An extensive rewards system, i.e:  ten minutes of Jessica Jones for every twenty spent working on schoolwork, one chocolate orange per finished assignment, and one day out shopping for every three days spent working on school work.
3. Finding music that inspires you to do work.
4. Eating and sleeping appropriately–i know that they take a lot of time, but I guarantee that taking care of yourself makes taking care of homework so much easier.
5. Checking in on how everyone else is doing and how you are doing compared to them–I’m highly competitive, so I like to challenge others to complete assignments in a set time frame.

But, really, that’s just what I’ve found success with. I just want to say, to everyone in the same situation, good luck, and have fun! It’s stressful, but it’s important to always place that stress within the perspective that all these assignments mean you’re one step closer to completing a goal or chasing a dream.