Let’s face it, most of us start getting too preoccupied as semesters start every year. Classes, assignments, sports, friendships, relationships, and those lazy weekend afternoons you inhale a zillion calories make it so we have no time for family. Is that really the case? Can we not take a few minutes of our lives, or stop eating that second serving of Chipotle to phone our family?
Classes are arguably consuming depending on your semester level. For one mathematics course, which will remain unnamed, I had to solve 6 problem sets. “Bring it,” I wanted to yell, but resisted the urge as it would be not only weird but disruptive too. It took 3 hours to solve one problem–mind you this was higher level calculus where numbers barely exist. I still had 5 more solutions to find. I would not leave this spot, I said to myself, not even for caffeine (Ok, I did for coffee but it was life or death, but not really).
24 hours later (about 10 a.m to 8p.m actually) my thoughts were scattered, murmuring mathematical concepts, seeing distant white specs, and I was overall unfocused when leaving the library. The last thing I wanted was to call my parents that night. Arguably, the call would have helped me adjust my focus. It has been noted that discussing and thinking about other subjects clears your mind so that when you return to an assignment you tackle it differently this time around.
Professors suggest you shouldn’t fixate on one assignment for hours on end. Don’t leave it to the last minute either because that is just unnecessary stress on you. Instead, take breaks, walk around,exercise, eat, or talk to someone to help clear your mind. You could get a drink from T-Magic, they offer a free bubble tea with the Campus Clipper coupon.
When you start an assignment, you never see any fault in your approach because you’ve molded your brain to one perspective. Rest your mind by calling your parents during tough situations. Perhaps they’re not prodigious math professors, but they may help by giving you a much needed boost that you’re no failure and everyone else has identical ordeals in college. Your parents will, of course, feel loved and cherished that you trust them during such small scenarios. It lets them know you think of them foremost during your academic debacles.
Don’t habitually phone them every time you suffer a school related mishap; trust them enough to talk about relationships, friends, food in NYC, and professors. You should not set your parents, or immediate family, aside because you’re now ‘busy’ or too ‘stressed.’ There’s no decree for the correct time to call family. It’s largely your choice whether you want your family incorporated in your college life or semi-integrated, but once those years end they’re the ones who are picking you up and whisking you off back home.
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Sergio Hernandez, Skidmore College. Send Sergio a Tweet Tweet only on Twitter
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