The biggest lie I've told myself in graduate school is that the next week will be easier. Oh, this week is just busy because of x, y, and z, but next week will be all under control. Ha. Yeah, right. I'm constantly telling myself that tomorrow, next week, or next semester, I will have more time. It has yet to come true.
On the bright side, this week kind of felt like one of those easier weeks. First week back. Of course we had readings (because who doesn't send out the syllabus prior to classes starting?) and two days to plan and execute a 75 minute group presentation on some classic writing by Aristotle. I might have been freaking out a little bit here and there (you know, by Wednesday and definitely Thursday) but I really did enjoy this week.
I'm afraid to get ahead of myself and be optimistic here, but I'm really looking forward to this semester. I forgot how much I love social psychology, and I'm taking a course on that. I'm also taking a history class, which looks like a ton of work...but I've always loved a challenge (don't remind me of that next week when I'm freaking out yet again). I'm also taking a course on academic assessment and intervention, as well as my practicum course on counseling/therapy stuff.
So far, I don't have anything I have to do on Fridays. Crossing my fingers it stays this way, although I'm going to have to get my act together. If I have a three-day weekend every week, I should definitely be able to manage all my homework, right? Except I really enjoy getting a reasonable amount of sleep and having time to exercise.
It's kind of sad how all personal care (eating right, exercising, sleeping, ...fun) get shoved off to the side during graduate school. There are just so many commitments and so many things I need to be doing. But I think I'm going to make a resolution (yes, about 19 days late) to take better care of myself this semester. This IS my life, after all. And grad school is a means to an end, but wouldn't it be nice if I could actually enjoy the process?
