It was never this way before, really. Ok, maybe by phases. But, like any senior in the quest for academic success, I’ve let my biological clock slip. (Hint: in proportion, it’s also hampering my academic success). But how does that look like exactly?
Well…I’m waking up impulsively at 7 am, no matter the day. This could almost be seen as a positive habit; from all I’ve read, waking up early boosts your productivity. But, It won’t do you any better if you don’t respect your resting night hours as well—and I truly don’t know how I’ve managed to avoid it for a month.
Now, more than ever--probably because mock exams have collided with IA project planning—I’m noticing a downfall in my performance: my mood, my relationships, and my willingness to be active. I’m forgetting stuff because I lack focus. I’m burning time because I’m tired. I’m waiting until the last minute to do things for I know I can pull of an all-nighter. Finally, I’m relying on caffeine to keep me on my feet. It’s nothing but unhealthy. Who’s to blame? The truth: I fault no one but myself for not being disciplined in the past. So, for two weeks now, I’ve tried pulling it back together, taking naps just like everyone else, which are 80% of the times unsuccessful. Then I ask my friends; they’re widely awake as much as I am; it must be normal no? They’re tired too. But tired is exactly what I don’t want to be! Not on my last semester. |
We are, in fact, leaving a legacy; we can take ownership of the program and what we’ve chose to make out of it. How high we set the bar is up to us. I repeat this now to remind myself, but as I previously said, I KNOW everyone in class is conscious about it. Just think about the many times we’ve noticed things that are breaking down the culture and chosen to speak up about it! And, while this has shown we truly care, we also have to make sure we start internally before pointing fingers. It's not enough to have done beautiful work your proud of in the past! Not enough to say we've had the hardest experience just because we went through the original (more time demanding) prototype of the program. If there’s something we should take responsibility for, is leading my example until the last day.
For me this means STRUCTURE, SYSTEMS, and POWER OF WILL. It means enough sleep for creative thinking. It means making sure I arrive on time to my last internship with enough energy to make the most of it, and meanwhile fully involving myself in the final IA thesis.
Going above and beyond TODAY, and not later tonight.
For all of us it means something different, even for the ones we commended this morning. So, if you are in my cohort, and by any chance you end up reading this tonight, I challenge you to think about what leading by example will mean for you. It will make the next time your asked to challenge others more valid. And only we know how close that moment might be.