Turning Up Time: Advice from your resident Time Lady

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I think I blocked out the trauma of UD mid-April madness, but when it sidled onto my calendar this time around, everything came rushing back. All of the projects, assignments, and exams I thought I didn’t have in February delivered a collective uppercut, and I’m not the only person reeling from this blow. With the myriad of demands pressed upon students (especially those of the Honours persuasion) as the semester hurtles toward the finish line, the most important thing is to keep a cool head.

time is wibbly-wobbly

Yes, that’s definitely harder than I just made it sound, considering the piles of commitments we have to handle. Time is wibbly-wobbly, but it is also not the boss of you. As your resident Time Lady, I give you your top ten moments; use them to clear your head, then get back in the ring and dominate those assignments.

Standing in lines. For Starbucks in Smith, Dunkin Donuts in Perkins, Chic-Fil-A in Trabant… Instead of cursing how long the queue is, chill out.

On the bus. There’s no point in trying to write while you’re clinging to a metal railing or being jostled about in your seat, so take those precious moments for yourself.

Walking to class. Reading and walking is even harder than texting and walking, because you’re supposed to be absorbing information. You can’t walk and properly read your notes at the same time, so don’t try it.

In the shower. Once last semester, I tried taping my notes to the shower wall and reading them – all I accomplished was blurring the ink on the page. It’s not as if you can study in the shower, so take that time to relax, breathe, sing badly…

Something you love. Set aside several carefully placed minutes to do something you enjoy.

The barest sliver of those social media minutes. It’s not all homework, is it? Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest (not to mention your phone) will still be there.

Right before class starts. Talk to your friends. Sit without looking at your notes. Look out the window. The lecture hasn’t started yet and that time is still yours.

Waiting for the microwave to beep. What else are you going to do for that one minute?

One song’s worth. Pick a good one, close your eyes, and just listen. When you come back three minutes later, I promise you’ll feel more collected.

Ten minutes before you go to bed. You’re exhausted. Trust me, I get that. But you’re probably up ridiculously late anyway, and taking ten minutes to collect your thoughts will help you feel and sleep better.

During a moment this semester when I absolutely could not find the inspiration for a certain assignment, a very dear friend of mine insisted the only way I could get a handle on it was to take a break. That was literally the last thing I wanted to hear, but when I ran out of other options, I had to take her advice.

When I returned, everything was clearer.

~Claire Davanzo