Famous Last Words: Confessions from an exhausted college student, week 1

(Sometimes coffee is the only way I can make it through
my week; personal photo, taken by a class mate)

(Napping in the library also helps me get through
the week; personal photo, taken by me)

Week one of the semester is coming to a close for me. It’s after 2:00AM on Saturday, January 21. I’m currently at work, wishing the clock would move a little bit faster. I thought I was done with school work for the night but I just decided to try to fit in one more assignment before my shift is over.

Since this is the first week of class, we didn’t have the regular reading schedule. I had fun picking through different fables in search of inspiration for my first story though. I was a little disappointed in myself this week. I had a very difficult time sparking my creativity. I wasn’t extremely impressed with my first story. It was alright, I suppose. However, I don’t feel it ranks anywhere close to some of my best work. I was writing while at work and trying to multitask, so that could have something to do with it. That’s the typical situation for me when I work school work though. I work full time and commute, driving anywhere from 50 – 100 miles per day on average. So, I’m very rarely working on just one thing at a time.

This semester has already gotten off to a rough start for me. Initially, I was excited and proud of myself because I got a head start in Mythology and Folklore (thanks Mrs. Gibb’s for that opportunity) and I was an entire week ahead before the semester actually began. Unfortunately, I ended up coming down with bronchitis and an ear infection on Tuesday (the first official day of class because Monday was a holiday [Martin Luther King Day]). Due to my illness, I had to miss class Wednesday and Thursday and fell behind in two of my classes. I also technically “fell behind” in this class but thanks to the early start I had, I’m just “on schedule” instead of behind. I’ve been on antibiotics for 3 days now and I’m feeling a little more human again. I worked hard this afternoon to catch up on my assignments and I completed quite a bit. I believe by Tuesday next week I will be caught up in and, with any luck, ahead in all my classes. That’s how I prefer to keep it. I typically try to stay ahead by AT LEAST 3 days on all my assignments. Things aren’t quite in full swing yet, so I’m not sure how things are going to come together just yet but I think the semester will be fun once I get myself into a routine!!