Ramil Blog

If I had to name the most important skill that I've developed since I came to NYU, it would have to be time management. After a year and (almost) a half at college, I've learned that you can get so much more done through effective planning and sticking to a schedule. However, I have also learned that it feels so good to just blow everything off once and a while, and just do whatever you feel like. I think that today was a good example of both of these lessons.

I started my day, as I start everyday, by looking at my planner and preparing myself for the day's events. I love my planner, and I never leave home without it. For the first half of the day, I stuck strictly to the schedule laid out in my planner, and I accomplished all of my goals for the day: I went to all four of my classes; I practiced piano and flute for a good four hours; I studied for a quiz; and I rehearsed a duet.

I was having a pretty productive day. All I had left to do was complete my assignment for Music Theory III, and get to bed by 12. So, I decided to rest on my laurels a bit with some Super Smash Bros (I am preparing for a tournament). What was only supposed to be an hour of playing video games easily turned into three.

But that was fine - it was only 11 when we finished playing. "There's plenty of time left to do my homework," I told myself. I went to my friends' room to pick up my bookbag, and since I had some extra time, I hung out for a bit instead of immediately heading home. Hanging out took about an hour and a half, and then I decided I needed to get coffee to help me get through my Theory assignment.

Armed with a Grande dosage of caffeine, I finally sat down to do my homework at around 1. However, I decided that it would be a good idea to do my homework in a room full of people. Of course, nothing got done. (Well, not exactly nothing - I did watch the entire CNN/YouTube Republican Debate.)

Well, it's now 4:30 in the morning, I have to get up for class at 9:30, and I can't go to sleep because of all the coffee I drank. I'm going to be tired all day tomorrow, and I'm going to be too stressed out to do well on my quiz. But at least I learned an important lesson: as they would probably phrase it on Arrested Development, "And that's why you always stick to the schedule!"