By: Tolu Ayeye
The semester is reaching towards an end and exams are fast approaching; it’s almost as if everywhere and everything is getting choked up. Things seems to be going at a very fast pace and you can’t even seem to find a structure to help you pull through it all. Asides academics, there is a lot more on your table, and you can’t seem to organize the table, or maybe you can.
There is the pressing content of writing jobs, and their seemingly never ending deadlines; the outreach programs from the voluntary organization you joined and they are all coming with full force; descending upon you like a ton of bricks, along with the approaching exams. Everything is going crazy and you have been clumsily juggling all of these and you sometimes forget the important ones.
I want you to stop. Stop for just a second and hold your wrist or even your neck. Can you feel your pulse? Can you feel your heart beat raging so hard and fast? Almost every university student can confirm and testify to the fact that, they not only have their academics to deal with, but they have to struggle both openly or subtly with other things. Like a jealous lover, academics and extracurricular activities vie for the same twenty four hours we are all blessed with and sometimes you can’t keep your head above water. You are so focused on coming out great in all of your activities that you forget about one important thing, your health; which is one thing that you cannot afford to mess with.
It is too expensive to not pay attention to. Do not shelve it to the back of your mind and consider as your last priority. Mental health, biological health, call it whatever you may, it still doesn’t change their importance. It’s quite easy to push your health aside, pass yourself off as being fine all in the bid not to worry, but the reality is that you aren’t fine until you actually are.
However, you do not always have to. The first step to accountability is recognizing that there is a strain somewhere and if it remains, you would not be as effective as you ought to be. How do you make it go away? There is a four tier tested and trusted method known as the TAP method. That’s just a fancy acronym for Time Management, Accountability and Prioritizing. Understanding how to effectively utilize your time, stems from understanding and setting your priorities right. Take a step back and look at the table, what is that thing you can afford to let go of? Throw away the junk and then begin to set the table. Get accountable and take responsibility; it could be alarms, To-do lists, and a talk with your friend about your daily plans and watch your life align.
Although, after putting all of these in place, life still happens; however, always remember to pause to feel your pulse, maybe take a minute to calm your raging heart. Take a day off, whatever it is, do it. Give yourself that baby girl or baby boy treatment you think you do or do not deserve. There is a strain, you may not feel it yet, you may not feel it now but when you do, it would most likely come crashing down on you.
