Various challenges of living... Challenges that are common to the college experience: 1.  Procrastination (not doing enough when it's needed). 2.  Over-scheduling (doing too much of what is needed) 3.  Plagiarism (inserting someone else's work when yours is needed) 4.  Excessive Absences (not being present enough to learn what is needed) 5.  Accumulated Stress (holding on to worries and cares)
On Procrastination: Basic problem: not enough when it is needed. Basic solution: self-discipline, drive. Strategies include: 1.  Setting time-limits for yourself, such as "I will get the first part of this project done by 2:00pm." 2.  Breaking down a project into smaller parts and taking them one-by-one. 3.  Creating check-off lists: plan the work and work the plan. 4.  Adopt a Just Do It mentality, and push yourself through the work. 5.  Force yourself to complete a work component before you reward yourself with anything fun; lead yourself along with a "carrot" of fun for every project you complete.
On Over-scheduling: Basic problem:  doing too much of what is needed. Basic solution:  balance in one's roles and goals. Strategies include: 1.  Intentionally schedule in fun breaks when you work on longer projects. 2.  Plan social engagements along with your primary work/school projects; set dates with friends, or find interesting activities to attend where you might meet new acquaintances. 3.  Limit your project completion by forcing yourself to play a bit before you move to the next phase of the work. 4.  Realize that our brains often work their best when occupied with other things; some ideas germinate while we are engaged in completely different activities.
On Plagiarism: Basic problem:  inserting someone else's work when yours is needed. Basic solution:  be authentic. Strategies include: 1.  Embrace the value of authenticity, that your ideas are worth hearing, and like other's ideas, you should have rights to them without others using them unfairly.  When using other's work, simply give them the same kind of credit for their originality. 2.  Double-check all your research findings to see whether quoted information is being treated as a paraphrase; go back to the source and insert quotes where appropriate.
On Excessive Absences: Basic problem:  not being present enough to learn what is needed. Basic solution:  be there!  It was Albert Einstein who said that 80 percent of success is being there. Strategies include: 1.  Evaluate your schedule to see whether you actually have the time to give to the course; if not, make the decision to take it later. 2.  Commit yourself to learning wholly what the course has to offer; remember the disadvantages of having a "half-baked" idea or set of ideas. 3.  You cannot be in two places at the same time; so confront your own limitations, and commit to the activity you truly desire.  If it isn't school, fine; be where you need to be, do what is necessary for you, live the life you see as most valuable... and give that your focus.
On Accumulated Stress: Basic problem:  holding on to worries and cares. Basic solution:  create ways to release stress. Strategies include: Three R's of Relaxation (Dr. Herbert Benson's Relaxation Response): 1.  Recognize Tension: includes stopping your activity long enough to feel where in your body the muscles may be tense. 2.  Reduce Respiration: includes slow, deep abdominal breathing while focusing on a simple concept, word, or sound. 3.  Reduce Muscle Tension:  includes consciously tensing and then relaxing muscles and muscle groups throughout the body, from top to bottom, focusing especially on the tense muscle identified earlier.   Engage in activities that release stress naturally, such as physical fitness, walking, dancing, etc.
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