Dealing with MayDays.

It's the month of May, and for me ever since school started this year I have been very nervous about facing this Month. The reason is because a lot of things in my course assessment for the Units I have taken this semester falls due this month. From the beginning I have always been anxious thinking about how this month will go down especially with assignments and minor exams falling due almost every week.

Prior to facing the challenges of this month, on the last week of April I called for a mentoring session with my mentor Dr Vanisha Mishra Vakaoti  who offers a great professional mentoring service. I just had this gut feeling that I needed to call for a session, because it was the perfect opportune time to utilize such a service. I needed someone else to tell me that the situation lurking around the corner then could be handled. Even though somewhere within me I knew that I could successfully complete this hectic month but then I just couldn't get myself to figure out how to do so because my mind was just too congested. So that's why I needed to have another person uplift my spirit and give me directions.

I had to carefully plan my goals for the mentoring session. I prepared questions in advance so that I could gain as much as possible from that session given that it lasts for a good 1 hour. I also made sure that my questions were very relevant and honest. I really needed the mentoring session to be successful. The mentoring session turned out to be more bountiful than what I had expected it to be. The 3 key messages my mentor shared with me were to; 1) Remain calm, just do the work, avoid panicking 2) Create study time as sacred time for yourself, that no one get's to move you or distract you from the work that you are supposed to do 3) Set boundaries for yourself, learn to say No.

Those key learning's created a warm feeling of contentment, calmness and reassurance that yes I can do it. I can skillfully handle all of the upcoming challenges. I made a mental note to self to remain calm and work hard. I also made a point that I am not going to deprive myself of life and happiness this month just because I have a lot of work to do. Even though it was going to get busy, I was still going to have fun. I told myself that 'I am going to have the time of my life this May'.

It's now 1 assignment and 2 short test later and I feel so proud of myself. I never felt much pressure than I used to feel before. What really worked for me was staying calm and composed. I was more rational and I got a lot more done when I just chilled and stayed calm. For instance this last week I had 2 exams one after the other. As a student we really have to be strategic when it comes to moments like these. I had to prioritize one unit more than the other given the time constraint. I studied day's in advance for the more difficult unit that was carrying more weight in terms of it's contribution to the final coursework. I must admit that for a while I was considering asking the lecturer to sit for that less harder unit another day (he was a very kind and flexible Lecturer so he could have approved my request anyways) because I thought that I can do much better if I did so. But then as I was making my way to school that morning I recalled what I had learnt from the mentoring session and instead of making my way to the Lecturers office I made a detour into the Library. In the Library coincidentally I bumped into 2 of my friends who also take the same units. I told them what I had planned to do, 1 of them a lady who was a working student (She works full time and studies part time) again reminded me that I needed to calm down and study because we had a good solid 5 hours to complete studying 5 units. With that reminder to stay calm I dived straight into studying and I managed to complete studying within 3 and a half hours. The paper that evening turned out to be really enjoyable and I would have really regretted not taking it. I applied the same principle that evening when I completed my study for the more harder unit. Again it helped me deliver better results in a more enjoyable way. An important thing also that we need to have is teamwork with other fellow human beings, preferably interaction in physical presence. People are not only there to offer their assistance when needed but to also share happiness with. I often find that's it's very fun and efficient working within a group. Not just any group people, that great feeling of teamwork often comes about when I am sharing my time and energy with people who have the same goal, drive and passion as me.

I never thought that these busy May Days would have taught me how to continue living life to the fullest despite the hectic demands of life's hustle and bustle. Let us just immerse ourselves deeply in the work that should be done and never forgetting to be happy.

When the water get's deeper, don't panic (because you might just end up drowning) instead swim, enjoy where the water currents takes you.