Revolving Doors & Safety Nets

It's that time of year again.  Nope, not holiday season.  End-of-semester crunch time.

While holidays are demanding enough, we grad students are fortunate enough to still have deadlines to dance around and schedules to tightly choreograph.  You know what I mean. That special way we very meticulously craft calendars outlining when a project wraps up and the window opens to begin preparing for your finals (or "cramming" as it is called in some circles).  It's like a Revolving Door of Responsibility, if you will.

I don't know about you, but during these few weeks, I toe the line between Responsible-But-Freaking-Out and I-Am-Over-This-I-Give-Up.  A mental spin cycle of "How Will I Do It All?"  "How Will I Do It All Well?" And, "Ugh, I Don't Care."  Sound familiar?

My friend, Julie, does the same thing... But in the second-to-last-minute, she realizes she really does care and kicks it into high gear to knock the socks off any outstanding assignments.  I think it's in the DNA of Grad Students to hit a personal threshold where the drive to (over)achieve kicks in, and adrenaline fuels those last four pages and the following four hours of edits.

Those of us who work or have children, I honestly don't know how you do it.  It's tough stuff! You really should get a Nobel Prize for the balancing act you do every day!

So, here's what the panel of experts suggest:  In times like this, lean on your friends and family.  Do not hole yourself up like a hermit!  It's called a Support System or Safety Net for a reason.  Whether you lightly lean against them or collapse onto them like a polar bear on roller skates, it's OK.

As a very smart man once said, "No man is an island."

Nine out of ten Grad Students agree: Doing this, you'll refresh your mental stamina, and you will get more done in less time using less energy.  And, you will still maintain a balance in your life and find joy during your time in B-School.  What's better than that?!

Take a break. Gain some perspective.  Enjoy the levity and laughter of those around you, then you can turn back to the project at hand with a renewed vigor and knock its socks off! Good luck!

'Tis the Season...To Be Thankful

Thanksgiving is almost upon us!

I can hardly believe it!  In the throes of exams and assignments, we are almost done with classes for 2011.

As I peruse friends' Facebook posts listing the things, memories and people for which they are thankful, it makes me think of all the things that have blessed and enriched my life this year.  Just think about all those things that get us through the "excitement" of B-school!

Here's one of the items on the list of things that fill me with gratitude:

• Friends & Family  
  Of course they top the list!  These are the people who...
• Celebrate your successes, like finally finishing a Marketing Analysis of Cannibalization in the Razor Blade market (A SERIOUS doozy!) ... 

• Listen as you lose your cool because you're frustrated by the aforementioned Cannibalization Analysis or because you're feeling overwhelmed trying to maintain a semblance of your Pre-B-School life while balancing class work (or class AND work) and managing diverse team member personalities.

• Send you supportive emails out-of-the-blue or surprises in the snail mail just to keep you going because they want you to know they believe in you, even when there's no big achievement on the horizon, no test that week, no interview... They do it just because they have faith in who you are as an individual (Thanks Mom!)... 

These people keep us going when the going gets tough and the tough don't feel like going much farther. (like revising that paper ... one. more. time.)  

So this is just the beginning of my list... What's on yours?  Write down a few things, and don't be surprised when you just can't stop writing that list!