I find myself at an impasse at the start of every semester. This crossroads of sorts is the absolute hell of managing my hectic schedule.
I know what you're thinking, "But, Ask Angela! You have the answers to all of life's most important questions; your wisdom is infinite!"
Well. I like to think a few of you are thinking that. Probably not. But anyway.
I don't really have answers to anything. Truthfully, I can't even deal with my own life 90 percent of the time. So I want to take a moment to be real with you, my dear Internet friends and devoted newspaper readers, I have absolutely no idea how the hell I'm going to pull off this semester.
I've been known to bite off more than I can chew in the past. I became a professional "juggler" of sorts when I first came to college because academically, I'm a try hard, and extracurricularly, I wanted to be a part of so many different student organizations.
I'm so well known for being over extended that I have a professor who will call me at the beginning of every semester to try and talk some sense into me and help me with time management. God bless ya Professor Tobin.
But this year I've truly out done myself.
This fall - and this fall only - I will be performing the incredible, the marvelous act of balancing 18 credit hours, 16 of which are for a brand new major I just decided to declare this summer (probably gonna drop my philosophy class though, because it's not tickling my fancy), being the opinion page co-editor here at The Student (shoutout to my other editor Joey Hart), recording, producing and editing a weekly Ask Angela podcast (stay tuned for more on that, literally), an internship at WYSO - an NPR affiliate in Yellow Springs, a part time job at Steinkeller, another part time work study job in the MJF department, contract writing for a dope travel company and somehow trying to maintain my friendships, have fun every once in a blue moon and retain my humanity.
In short, I'm fucked.
Not really. I have complete and utter faith in myself and truly do believe that somehow I will be able to pull off this amazing feat. But I would be a hypocrite if I didn't address the elephant in the room.
My very first Ask Angela column, which some of you may remember, was me giving advice to a freshman who emailed me anonymously because he/she was overwhelmed because he/she had too much on his plate.
And I got on my soapbox and preached the good word that my father taught me about taking life slow, and enjoying it, and not overextending yourself.
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I believe my exact words were:
" ... Allow me to paraphrase my father's wisdom for all you overextended college kids out there reading this column: Slow. The. F***. Down."
I guess it's time for Angela to take some of her own advice, am I right?
In true Angela fashion, I want people who were going to call me out on this (I know you're out there, Internet trolls) to know that I hear ya! I need to bite the bullet, take a taste of my own medicine, etc.
In my column last year, I encouraged my anonymous pal to make a priority list and to cross off stuff, at least three things. And then, jot down fun stuff they wanted to do too - go on a bar crawl, make a day trip to Cinci, quite literally anything, and to keep in mind the question: What do you want out of your college experience?
I am a junior in college who has accomplished so much. I'm on my third internship. I've made the Dean's List three semesters in a row. I've maintained my merit scholarships with my GPA. I've made my mark at the student newspaper. I've forged some of the most incredible friendships here at Miami, people that I know will stand at my wedding one day.
And I still don't know what I want out of my college experience.
So friends, family, strangers, I am here to say that I promise you that I'm going to take my own advice. I am going to take a moment to slow down and evaluate my semester.
Afterall, I can't give advice if I don't follow it.
Stay tuned for Ask Angela weekly podcasts, coming to you Fridays starting September 22nd! And as always, email your questions to tmsaskangela@gmail.com.
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