The Guantlet Week

Welcome back:) I hope everyone who celebrates Easter did so with bottomless stomachs and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. I did and I am still craving the yummy leftovers I will relish tonight.

My first conversation of the day:

Mr. Alarm Clock: (unnecessarily shouting) Rise and shine, princess! Today is your day!

Me: Are you seriously shouting at me already, Mr. Alarm Clock? Leave me alone for just a few more minutes [by the way, do not mind me; I have a tendency to bring inanimate objects to life]

Mr. Alarm Clock: Well yeah, you have a full day ahead of you, so please make me stop shouting at you before I overheat.

Me: (A gigantic pillow magically appears to knock me quite forcefully out of the bed) Oooooouuuch!!!! Augh. Whatever.

Well, needless to say, this week appears to have a gazillion challenges set-up already. Two tests, one presentation, and one paper due by midweek will have me studying like crazy and eating, drinking, and surviving in the library. I will almost enjoy the challenge, but that is a definite "almost". On top of that, my team has a soccer game to play tonight, there is a musical performance, an advisor meeting and some other huge application deadlines coming up this week. This week is definitely fully loaded.

If it had been any earlier in my college career, I may not have been able to successfully handle the workload, but that is why all of the "old veterans" always stress the process of a positive adjustment to college. It is highly advisable to develop great study skills within your first semester because from then on you will not freak out as you are learning how to stay caught up in your classes. One of the advantageous courses that freshmen are required to take is the University Experience class. Those classes get you prepared to tackle all of those unexpected things you may face once you begin college. You will learn about being proactive with your time, using library resources, various student organizations, influential community involvement, enhancing college-level cognitive skills, balancing your social life as well as general advice for academic success.

Also, if you ever need extra help beyond the University Experience course, there are always additional programs set up specifically to help you succeed in and beyond college. And should you ever be pleading for even more challenges, do not worry because those are certainly available as well in the form of one-on-one research with professors and other scholarly development projects.

After taking advantage of the college success programs, you will be able knock out those weeks that are entirely out of sync with your zen equilibrium. You and those toughspots will be great buddies once you reach your junior year. Like me, you might even begin to have fun with the challenge of completing the seemingly-impossible.

Please, cheer me on as I tug myself through this gauntlet of a week!