By the time November rolls around, most of us are more than ready to be done with classes and coursework. Unfortunately for Hofstra students, the last lengthy break we had was in the beginning of September and the next long break isn’t until Christmas.
Despite Thanksgiving being at the end of the month, the anticipation of a few days off with friends and family as well as the impending holiday seasons makes for a seemingly never-ending month. To make matters just a bit worse, November also tends to be the month with the most work and projects due. Mid-terms are over and there are really only a handful of weeks before finals arrive and therefore, the assignments keep piling up. Not to mention the days get short and it seems as though there is not enough time in the day while each week seems longer than the last.
So, how does one combat this sort of stagnant motion in their everyday lives during November? Well, a combination of organizational skills and knowing your own limits might just help!
1) Â Get organized.
One thing that makes November seem like a never-ending month is the amount of work college students have to get through. Whether it be reading 100 pages a night or having two, ten page papers due on the same day– the amount of work that piles up seems like an impossible mountain to move. And, if you’re not an organized person or tend to let assignments get lost in the hustle-and-bustle of everyday life, the best thing you can do, even halfway through the semester (if you haven’t already), is get a planner. Not only will this make your life 100% more organize, it will give you a sense of control over each day. Never mind that you make mental to-do lists during classes, having a planner allows you to visually see what you need to get done. Cengage Learning, a company that is dedicated to accelerating student engagement and transform learning experiences, says, “You can use it [a planner] to create a schedule for all of life’s important (and not-so-important) events, and let it serve as a reminder of important due dates, meetings, and appointments.”  That seems like a no-brainer but when you get caught up in everything you’re doing and keeping a mental tally of everything you still need to do, something is bound to get lost. Having a planner allows you to whittle down your list, checking off what’s complete and seeing what still needs to get done.
Nothing makes a day seem unending more than a disorganized schedule, when you realize ten minutes before you go to bed that you have this assignment or that one. Using a planner or a similar organizational tool will allow you stay in control of your daily schedule, helping your days move by smoothly.
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2) Â Learn to limit yourself.
Now, that doesn’t mean keeping yourself from succeeding or from doing well in classes or in life, it means learn to limit your schedule. Kelsey Manning, a writer for Fast Company, gave a very good overview of how to stop overscheduling yourself in a few succinct points, them being  “Establish your priorities, don’t say yes right away, if you have to “squeeze it in” just say no, and schedule in your personal time.”
As students, this can be incredibly hard, what with social activities, obligations to clubs and organizations as well as fulfilling course requirements, meeting with professors, and having jobs and internships. The amount of things we end up squeezing into our month, especially as we get down to the start of the holiday season when November seems to drag and we will do anything to speed it up, can be overwhelming and can make a month feel longer especially when you get worn out.
Having a thousand things to do in a day can wear a person out, especially when these things go into the wee hours of the morning, leaving only five or six hours for sleep (if you’re lucky). It’s important to understand that being busy doesn’t mean time will fly by– sometimes it makes days never ending and classes an anxious affair when the list starts building up in your mind. Of all the points Manning writes, personal time is one of the most important. Having a moment to slow down doesn’t mean the day will drag by, but, rather, it could be just the thing you need to push through the next few hours or to get that little burst of energy you’d been missing.
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3) Indulge a bit.
Sure, the holidays are right around the corner (according to Starbucks, anyway) and the anticipation of getting to go home and eat a real meal for the first time in weeks is sometimes excruciating! But never fear– some of the best ways to make the month go by are often the littlest. Maybe it’s taking that extra weekend to go visit a friend or see that musical you thought you wouldn’t have time for. It could mean going to bed a bit earlier and getting an extra hour or two of rest. Indulging could even be giving yourself a small treat like a scarf or hat that will keep you warm the rest of the month into December.
The point isn’t exactly what you indulge with, the point is that you do. That you realize how important “you” are and that amidst the hustle and bustle of the longest month– you don’t lose sight of that. Â
November still has a ways to go and it’s bound to keep getting busier but by trying to be more organized, less over-scheduled and aware of what you need, will definitely help you get through it.
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