Happy August folks! I’m currently blogging from Daytona Beach back in my on campus RA dorm in lovely humidity, afternoon rain, and sunshine. Orientation week has officially concluded, Fall Semester has kicked off, my residents have moved in, and my voice is almost gone (yes, before AFROTC has even started…it’s going to be a fun week).

I arrived to campus almost a month early for training and in preparation for the school year to start and it’s here! Similar to a holiday in the anticipation aspect, but with a bittersweet aftertaste because I can already sense the year will be a busy one. This semester my schedule consists of Air Force Leadership Laboratories and Physical Training sessions, Air Force class, Compressible Aerodynamics, Advanced Engineering Math I (also known as Math Methods Engineering and Physics I), Technical Report Writing, Incompressible Aerodynamics, and an Independent Study of third year level Arabic, plus Resident Advisor duty days, and a plethora of various meetings. 

This year will surely be jam packed, but I started off my first day of the semester going for a run in the morning and I’m determined to make this one of my best semesters. For those of you that have read a couple of my blogs you probably know this already, but I like lists. I typically categorize my days in the notes app on my phone and go from start to finish with classes, homework, working out, free time, meetings, chores/errands, and pretty much all of my other responsibilities. If I do anything in my day, there is approximately a 93% chance it was on my to do list and I have checked it off once its finished.

If you ever need help with the looming task of time management and you have found yourself reading this, I offer you two pieces of advice: first prioritize, and second make yourself a daily schedule and cross-off everything you accomplish. I find this to be extremely helpful and it keeps me in a good mood because I love seeing my to-do list shrink and I love once I get done with my homework being about to have blocked off time for self care. Having time to relax is my favorite.

As a closing note, shoutout to the girl I met on the elevator in my Residence Hall who recognized me and warmed my heart telling me that my blogs remind her of how she journals. You rock.

Will report back soon y’all, once we are fully submerged in September. Full speed ahead!