Student Blog: College, and Shows, and Work – Oh My!

“How do you do that?” 

That is the most frequent response I get when I tell people what I've been up to. Maybe it’s with a family friend I haven’t seen in a few months or a classmate who asks me what I’m up to this week. And then I’ll break down my fifteen-hour day and finish it off with the classic “and then I do it again tomorrow”. They’ll exclaim something along the lines of “Wow that’s a lot,” and I’ll laugh and agree. And when they ask me how I do it, I’ll shrug it off with a small smile and say, “Even I don’t know.” 

But I do know. Hence this article!  

The reality is that I’m one of many students who can’t help but want to do everything. Book clubs, SGA, school newspapers, fencing – if you name something, chances are I’ve at least thought about adding it to my schedule. Is that my ambition and craving for opportunity, or is it the inability to know my own limits and say no to people? The world may never know. 

However, with years of practice in balancing seemingly hundreds of extracurriculars, I’ve managed to develop my own system of coordinating a crazy and hectic schedule. I’m aware that my techniques won’t work for everyone, and that’s okay. I only implore you to take what works for you and consider implementing it if you so desire. 

So, my secret? The thing I avoid explaining to my family, friends, and classmates to avoid sounding pedantic? Lists. Lots and lots of lists paired with lots and lots of calendars. As much as I wish I just had the ability to manipulate time or be in multiple places at once, a nice Google calendar and a place to write are all I need to make sense of life. 

Some context about what I am managing before I explain the methods to my madness – I attend university full-time (I’m taking eighteen credit hours this semester); I work at a local youth theatre, where I teach classes Monday through Thursday; During productions of shows at said theatre, I usually attend rehearsals Friday through Sunday and every performance; and I’m occasionally involved in shows in the community or at my university. 

This last month, I had midterms (which in my case were a lot of essays and projects), I closed a show at my youth theatre as an assistant choreographer and backstage coordinator (our version of a deck stage manager), and this last week I ushered for one of my university's shows this semester. And then, I wrote much of this article backstage during the production of Cabaret I was in (which just closed on the 24th - read my article about it here). 

To organize all of this, I use a lot of color coding and create individual Google calendars for specific things. My most used Google calendar is one that I have titled “Weekly Timetable”. At the beginning of the semester, I place my class schedule in this calendar, all with the same color assigned to it (usually Flamingo). After this, I add in all my dance classes that I teach throughout the week – this time using a different color (usually Grape). Anytime that there is a break in the semester or one of my classes is scheduled to be canceled, I make sure to edit the calendar accordingly. At the beginning of the academic year, I also receive a calendar of work events for the entire season. As soon as possible, I go ahead and add those to my “Weekly Timetable” using the same color I’ve established with my work classes. 

So, that covers my typical academic and work calendars. But what about when I’m working or in a show? 

For each production, I create its own Google calendar. For example, when I worked as backstage coordinator for a production of Beauty & the Beast, I created a calendar titled “Beauty & the Beast”. From there, I place all known rehearsals and performances into that calendar, with rehearsals as one color and performances as another. When I’m working on the production side of a show, I add cast conflicts as its own color as well. 

Through creating separate Google calendars, I’m able to view my week’s normal schedule, my show schedule, or both at the same time, all through toggling my settings accordingly. 

On a day-to-day basis, however, I stick to a classic To Do List. 

I use the note-taking app Goodnotes to make my lists, the same app that I use to take notes in my classes. I start my day by writing all of the events that I have throughout the day - referencing my Weekly Timetable! In between each of the events, I write the tasks that I need to complete and when the best time to do them is. This includes any assignments that I plan to finish throughout the day. On a separate page, I keep track of all assignments I have due during the week. As I complete assignments and class throughout the day, I’ll cross them off! 

But ultimately, the greatest asset to managing all of this is communication. Inevitably, there will be times when it feels like doing all of this is impossible. Where it feels like it’s all too much. The best thing to do in these moments is communicate. Even when it feels scary and just as impossible. If you make a mistake in your schedule or double book, communicate with those it affects. If you feel stressed and need support, communicate with those around you. Being able to take of yourself while staying emotionally aware of how a busy schedule affects you is vital. 

When my days are over and I’m preparing for the next day, I take a moment to myself. I sit on my couch or in bed and take a few moments to breathe. Maybe I Facetime my sister and friends to catch up. Sometimes I sit with my pet snake (yes, snake) and watch some YouTube videos. My usual go-to, however, is just relaxing with a book. These small moments are where I find peace and relaxation in the midst of a busy schedule. A schedule that may seem to be chaotic but is made much easier by a solid organization system, communication, and time for oneself.