Tenacity

1) Competency.

My first thought when taking this course was that it would be an easy A and that I would finally be able to get famous off my blog. However, reality quickly set in and I realized there was going to be a lot more time management and structure than I had originally anticipated. Some behaviors I’ve developed to keep up with the requirements of this course are keeping an agenda and using my environment to inspire me.

My approach to this course has been simple. First, I’ve written down every assignment and due date in a small agenda and uploaded it to a digital calendar. Then regularly I review the assignments at the beginning of the week and start brainstorming and writing down ideas as the week progresses. By midweek I’ve usually started working on my post and by the time Friday comes I can just give it a quick review and post it. This strategy has slowly expanded to all of my other classes and my grades and stress levels have significantly improved from all previous semesters.

2) Attitude.

Fall semester was very rough for me, after going through a difficult break-up school was the last thing I wanted to think about. It was hard to concentrate on anything, and on top of that, all my classes were incredibly difficult. To top it all off, I couldn’t spend time with my family because they live 300 miles away and I worked every single weekend. I felt like a huge mess but had to keep pushing on. What pulled me through was focusing on my end goal: getting to the end of the semester and spending winter break with my family.

Winter break ended up being just as trying due to family issues and had me to a point where I didn’t even want to return to Gainesville. It was a difficult battle with myself, but through my friends’ and families’ encouragement, I came back with a brave face. In the past two months, I have completely changed my mindset. I definitely feel like I have developed a tenacious attitude, mostly because of the events of the past few months. I have learned that I am stronger than I originally thought and that I can do anything I put my mind to, regardless of the obstacles. I am now ready to take on whatever I need to, and have learned to embrace my emotions and feelings of being overwhelmed and turn them into productivity.

3) Three tips.

1. Set yourself up for success. The more you tell yourself you can and do little things to prepare yourself, the more likely you are to reach your goal.
2. Prioritize yourself. I care a lot, so it’s easy for me to put others before me and lose sight of my own goals and necessities, remind yourself that sometimes your needs are important too.
3. Make lists. I know this sounds vague and cliche, but seriously making a list of what you need to do, what you hope to accomplish, what you’ve already accomplished, what you need to buy. Literally, any list can make you feel more organized and more at peace.

In conclusion, it is really reassuring to myself that I can write this post and know that these are steps I've taken in my own life that have really worked. There's nothing better than being tenacious to bounce back after you feel defeated.