It is week 11. By some miracle I have managed to make it this far. Coffee consumption is through the roof, (average of 5 per day. No, I am not joking). I have 6 assessment items due in 3 weeks. I recently found 4 more grey hairs on my scalp. This is not okay, I am barely 18 and I am beginning to look like a Nonna, (I have already started wearing all black). So here is a list of signs of stress/you’re on struggle street/super flipping tired.
1. Bags Under Your Eyes: They really aren’t that designer anymore.
You wake up after a not very restful 5 hours sleep, and look in the mirror: bags under your eyes so bad that you don’t even bother with concealer. You are officially an extra from Michael Jackson’s Thriller video now. You stayed up all night trying to smash out that assignment that you told yourself you were going to start last week but didn’t, (good planning ahead, you procrastinating idiot). The other nights began with researching the effects digitisation has had upon music journalism and ended in watching adorable puppy videos on Youtube, (God, I miss my dog).
2.Caffeine: A love/hate/ I’m-actually-addicted-help relationship.
You have moved on from those sugary sachets that really, really weren’t economical and are now drinking this horrible cheap instant coffee that tastes like dirt and sadness and caffeine dependency. Coffee consumption is at an all time high. As in an actual high. Because apparently caffeine has a drug-like addictiveness to it. As exam week approaches closer and closer, you find you are putting less and less milk in your cup, (my warm milk and sugar with coffee flavour has now become as black as my winter wardrobe) and more and more tablespoons of the coffee granules.
3.The Budget: Wellll.
Honestly you haven’t left the house except to go to uni and even then you aren’t really making it to your lectures. Being housebound makes it hard to go to Woollies and blow your budget on cheese and avocados. But, winter is coming and along with it online shopping. So it turns out you don’t have to leave your room to blow your budget… And don’t even think about going out, (you shouldn’t be anyway because you have neither the time or money for that). $8.50 for a Vodka and lemonade??? Are there unicorn tears in there also??? Because that’s the only logical reason for a basic to cost that much…. But hey, $6 wine exists and it tastes mostly better than goon, (fruity flavours with an undertone of poor uni student in denial about her drinking habits).
4.Assessment: “Look, if I even hand it in I’ll be proud of myself”.
Let’s be real. It’s week 11. The only inspiration/motivation you have now is the due date. Time management is becoming crucial but is still not being implemented. All-nighters are becoming a regular occurrence. You can’t even remember the last time you went to a Uni lecture, (all those public holidays have thrown you off). You hand in an assignment and the same day receive a new one and you haven’t even finished the one that was due three days ago. Even though motivation is at critical low you still expect to get high marks which is a confusing paradox for anyone. The struggle is real kids.
At the end of the day, university is hard but I am getting my assignments done mostly on time and still managing to maintain a social life. Balance is important and doing what makes you happy is essential for making to end of semester (happiness for me is patting every dog that I lay eyes upon). Currently extremely caffeinated and somewhat motivated, I’m bracing for a hectic week.
Caffeinated and Motivated ☕️ 