Dear Piper,
What advice do you have for studying for classes I don’t particularly enjoy and when I could be doing more exciting things like clubbing or travelling rather than studying politics?
Yours,
Partying in Paris
Dear Partying in Paris,
Let’s be honest, it’s difficult to study. And I am sure that the city of love is pretty distracting. Plus people are always pushing “the college experience” and saying how great it is to party or do pranks but they forget why people go to college. I don’t want to sound like a square when I say this-I may have already by using the term ‘square’-but you are studying abroad and the first word is studying.
To help you or anyone trying to get back into the swing of things with the new semester, first remember why you are there. I mean you totally could have signed up to go to Paris because it’s fun and I wish I was there too. But why did you decide to go to college and what do you want to learn? This will help motivate you which will help with sitting down at a desk and cracking those books even though it’s Tuesday and the clubs are open. Honestly, why did they make a song about partying on Tuesdays? That’s when I’m trying to study.
So on to the not so fun part (but trust me, we will get to partying). Make a to-do list of everything you need to get done for the week along with the due dates. It might look overwhelming at first but remember you have seven days to complete this. When doing this try to set up reasonable deadlines to get things done by. You aren’t going to get a fifteen page research paper done in an hour. I don’t care how many energy drinks you take, it’s not going to happen.
Obviously to get these assignments done by the due dates and the deadlines you just set up, you are going to have to do the work even when the clubs are hopping. Pull up your Google calendar and see when you actually have time to work on these assignments. You might have to adjust your deadlines because of course you need to do research for that 15 page paper, eye roll. But as long as you get it done, whatever. Pro tip with this, it’s better to overestimate how long assignments will take so you don’t have to cancel your party plans.
Okay, we can finally talk about partying. After doing all that, you should see some spaces on your Google calendar that are beautifully empty. No studying. No classes. Nothing. Those are the times you can go clubbing. Also just because there space between 12-8 a.m. or whenever you sleep is empty, doesn’t mean that you can go clubbing. You better be in bed asleep like Santa Claus is coming or you will wear yourself out which means more time you gotta work and less time to party.
Some of your clubbing or partying may be time sensitive, your favorite performer might only be in town for one night, so go back to your Google calendar and play around with it and see if it is possible for you to go. But you have to be honest with yourself whether or not you can make it or you will be kicking yourself for the rest of the semester.
Follow all this correctly and you will get an A in politics and partying!
Sincerely,
Patricia Piper