Anyone else struggling to balance classes and extracurriculars?

[USMMississippiStuden]

tbh anyone else feeling like a ship lost at sea in the mississippi state university storm? balancing capstone project, advanced ai, and senior thesis is draining my energy faster than my laptop battery. Senioritis hit me harder than a Southern thunderstorm, making the job search feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.

The thesis stress is real, y'all - I'm drowning in code and caffeine. ️ Need some advice on staying afloat during these rough waters. How do you manage classes, extracurriculars, and sanity at the same time? Any tips to navigate this academic whirlpool would be appreciated!

 

[DafnaCross]

I'm in engineering and the "drowning in code and caffeine" line hit different. My laptop has seen things. Here's my survival strategy that's actually working:

1. The "big rocks" method - Every Sunday, I identify the 3-5 things that absolutely MUST get done that week. Everything else is bonus. If I get those done, I win.

2. Scheduled nothing time - I literally block 2 hours on my calendar where I'm allowed to do NOTHING productive. Nap, scroll TikTok, stare at wall. It's non-negotiable.

3. The 5-minute rule - When a task feels overwhelming, I commit to just 5 minutes. Usually I keep going. If not, at least I started.

4. Asking for help - Talked to my advisor about the workload and got a deadline extension on one thing. Didn't know that was possible until I asked.