Today I abruptly realized just how busy I'm going to be this fall. I am going to be VERY, VERY BUSY. Here are the grad school-related things that I am going to be doing between now and November.
- I have to take my quals (qualifying exams) probably by the end of September. This involves intensively studying a research topic and giving an oral presentation on it to a bunch of hardcore professors. I have not yet chosen a topic. Where did the summer go???
- I have to try to get some good data from my never-ending research project so that I can give a talk at the big annual review session during the first weekend of November, which is attended by all the member companies who supply our funding.
- I also have to try to write a paper on said research, assuming it ever works.
- I also have to work on our group LED research project.
- I also have to take a class.
- I also have to TA for one of the first year materials courses, 200A. This happens to be possibly the MOST labor-intensive and time-consuming class in the entire materials graduate program. I just found out about this 12 hours ago and I am kind of horrified. The upshot is that I get paid extra, and I get to meet all the incoming first years (as they collectively have a stroke). The downside is that it's gonna be a lot of freaking work!!
I looked at all of these things today and realized that certain things, such as a 60-day Bikram challenge in Sept/Oct or the championships in the beginning of November, should maybe NOT be high on my list of priorities right now!!!
I love yoga soooooo much... sometimes I have to remind myself that the object of yoga is to help you do BETTER in the rest of your life, not to distract you from it!
This is not to say that I WON'T end up doing 60 classes in Sept/Oct or getting my butt up onstage in a leotard in the beginning of November. (The SoCal championship appears to be like two days after the massive annual review that I'm involved in... this is just not great TIMING.) But at this point, I've got to just let it HAPPEN. I'll go to class when I can, and I won't when I can't. I'll practice my routine when I can, and let it go when I can't. I'm just gonna do my practice. If November rolls around and I feel like my practice is worth sharing at that point, I'll probably hop up on stage and have a good time. If not, no biggie! I can go down and cheer on some of my friends. There's always next year, and the next year, and the next year. It's all good. It's ALL yoga. Hatha, raja, karma, all of it. Even when I'm not in a class, I'm still doing my yoga.
7 comments:
It's so hard when yoga is the one thing you know has to give a little in your busy life to accommodate more pressing responsibilities. Ugh. The worst!
But, I agree---yoga shouldn't add to your stress. You practice when you can practice, right?? Deep breaths. Balance. All those yoga mantras and stuff. :)
I just realized that the New England regional championship (which we briefly talked about on Fb) is being held on the same day I'm taking the GRE exam (for the 1st time, even though I already have an MA, UGH!!). I just just looked into it first thing this morning, actually. Hmmmm...horrible timing, here. I feel your frustration and worry! But we can do our best, right, and get done all that needs to get done!?!?
I'm hoping! :-)
-LB
It's good to recognize when we bite off more than we can chew. And you're right, yoga is supposed to help us, not distract. I like your attitude about it all! Do what you can when you can and everything will fall into place as it should....
"sometimes I have to remind myself that the object of yoga is to help you do BETTER in the rest of your life, not to distract you from it!"
Heehee. Funny how that goes. Good luck in the fall!
Having to remind yourself of that is much better than the opposite -- "All work and no play, etc.."
You are obviously really good at prioritizing your life. And that is inspiring for the rest of us.
But yes, you will be INSANELY busy this Fall. OMG!
You all are great. :) And everyone is saying the same thing, I think... your "stress reliever" shouldn't be something that causes you extra stress!! So true.
LB - BUMMER!!!! I guess it's too late to reschedule the GRE...? Maybe the times don't overlap too much, so you can at least go as a spectator and be in the cheering section? (I LOVE being in the cheering section.)
Missus - Everyone seems to think so. I've been hearing that since I was like 13. I'm still convinced that it's all a clever illusion on my part, though.
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