“Slow down, you’re doing fine. You can’t be everything you want to be before your time,” is a famous line from the Billy Joel hit “Vienna.” The lyrics can hit you emotionally when struggling to balance your personal and professional life.
I have found myself getting involved deeply in my work and school life to the point where I don’t make time for myself. That can make anyone feel exhausted and not give everything 100 percent.
When it starts to look more like a blob of paint instead of a well-executed painting, I know it’s time to get back to the drawing board.
My phone calendar is the one thing that helps me feel like I can control what’s going on in my busy schedule. I have an idea on what I need to take out of my routine and came to that conclusion hearing from other Stallions and how they keep their sanity through their day-to-day lives.
Ms. Suzanne Smith, lecturer of psychology and sociology, organizes her own hectic schedule with a calendar.
She said, “My brother-in-law always said, to put something new in this hand, you got to take something out. You must look at what’s worth getting rid of. It will make you feel out of control.”
While juggling classwork, nursing major Asia Brown is also a certified nursing assistant at a nursing home and holds a campus club officer role. “It’s definitely hard,” she said. “My best friend is my calendar. I try to plan out my week even though unexpected things come through. My work schedule works good with my school schedule, so I really get to do what I want to do.”
Emilee Chan fills out her calendar at the beginning of the semester. She is a tutor, the secretary of the Horseman’s Association, and a Cattle Classic Committee member. She is also running the campus haybale competition.
Chan said, “I know my obligations are my classes then my club and advisor meetings. I have to schedule in my calendar when I want to go hang out with my friends.”
Emily Ireland manages coursework, a job, and leading worship at her church.
“I normally wake up early and study or come to school before or after work to do my assignments,” she said. “I enjoy sleeping, going on walks, and doing college kid stuff. I normally make sure everything’s done before I do that or I’ll forget that anything’s due.”
Everyone’s capacity limit of commitments is individually determined. Your body will tell you when you’ve had enough.
Ms. Smith offers help to any Stallion who is interested in being shown her methods of time management. You can reach out to her at ssmith@abac.edu.
ABAC also offers counseling services located in the Health Sciences building. Available to all students, they are open Monday-Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Friday until 12:00 p.m. For more information or to set up an appointment, students can reach out to Dr. Shubha Chatterjee at schatterjee@abac.edu or Mrs. Phyllis Jeter at phyllis.jeter@abac.edu
In addition to these services, ABAC has partnered with telehealth organization UWill to ensure access to reliable and affordable mental health services for all students. UWill provides three free teletherapy call and can also be used to schedule further appointments and manage medications.