All school year long, but especially this term, I’ve been piling more and more responsibilities on my plate.  This plate of mine is already covered to the edges with personal projects, classes and their corresponding classwork, the Graphic Design Sophomore Portfolio Review, and finding time to get good sleep.

As a college student, it almost becomes a competition between hard-working students to see who can get by on fewer hours of sleep (and increasing amounts of caffeine).  I sometimes take an unhealthy amount of pride in my ability to work for hours on end through the wee hours of the dawn.  As an added bonus, I tend to forget to eat during my long work periods, earning myself a nice double whammy of hunger and exhaustion to spend the day with…but hey, at least I got my critique-ready work done, right?

No.

To tie this diatribe back into my original plate mentioned earlier, I’d like to focus specifically on the Portfolio Review.  In order to participate in the review, I had to have all required first- and second-year graphic design courses either finished or in progress.  All of these classes are studio classes, with dense work sessions and time-consuming assignments.  Don’t get me wrong—I absolutely love these classes and the work I do for them.  They are just large time investments.

I entered the graphic design program during Spring Term of my first year, a full two terms “behind schedule.”  If I wanted to be eligible to take the Portfolio Review during my second year, I would have to stuff classes together each term to make it.

So I did.

This term, I found myself with a downright dastardly combination: three art studio classes, a 9am class every day, and the Portfolio Review at the end of it all.  I did not enjoy that combination at all, but I pushed on for the sake of personal pride.

As the term ticked forward, I found myself losing more sleep than could be easily made up within a day.  Weekends that used to be prime times for working on my projects became sleep restoration days.  My tendency to not eat reached dizzying levels.  My work was becoming more mediocre and less inspired due to lack of time.

Finally, as I was working last night and this morning on my portfolio, I reached my limit.  I believe I reached it long ago, but I finally had my epiphany today.  After I kept falling asleep at my computer over and over again, I stopped and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and whatnot.  I looked at myself in the mirror and asked myself one simple question.

“Why am I doing this?”

In that moment, I made a course-changing decision: to admit defeat and wait until next spring to take the review.

The review is on Monday the 4th.  I was attempting to get an important piece of work finished in ONE EVENING, print it on Monday, and somehow PASS.  My final project would have been a shot in the dark as far as quality goes.  I wouldn’t have had any critique on it, and I would be working myself to deeper levels of exhaustion only to most likely have a sub-par piece, and as a result, I would most likely not pass.

My work is good, but like anyone else, I need ample time to perfect it.  By delaying a year, I’m guaranteeing myself a full school year to hone my work, tighten my fresher skills, and feel 100% confident about my review.

Besides, I’ve already created schedule scenarios for Fall 2012, and none of them have any classes earlier than noon, which is what I’m accustomed to.  This is going to be a good year.  For now, however, I must sleep.  Farewell, and I hope I can recover my vigor soon.

penandapincushion:

Everybody calling me a hipster….

Stupid. Just because hipsters stole fedoras doesn’t mean-

Fedora what are you doing? I didn’t put you there. Is this some sort of hatty witchcraft?

I don’t really-

The fuck did those come from?

Oh god what.

WHAT IS GOING ON I DON’T EVEN LIKE COFFEE GET OUT OF MY FACE

AUGH WHAT IS HAPPENING WHERE THE FUCK ARE THESE COMING FROM

I don’t even remember owning this scarf.

MMPPPHH

MMMMMPHHHHH

OH GOD THEY’RE EVERYWHERE AND IT SMELLS LIKE STARBUCKS SEND HELP

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Things are going to be very different around here from now on….

No, come back baby.  =C  We still have much to discuss!

(via hikaritheninja)

loonstar256:

Superpower:

… Does that mean my power is being crazy? Or the ability to put bananas in pants… I’m gonna go with the second one…

Weakness:

Nights are my weakness? This isn’t good…

Arch nemesis:

SHIRLEY!!! What is this!! I don’t understand!!

Arch nemesis’ weakness:

Confusion is her weakness. I think I can win!

Love interest:

I’m okay with this

Superpower:

8D  That’s right, my power is MAGIC ITSELF.  Come at me!

Weakness:

D8  Clapping…of course!  CURSES!

Arch nemesis:

HAHAHA omg.  Well, it kind of makes sense, I suppose.  My power is PURE MAGIC.  These guys were created with PURE SCIENCE.  It is so on.

Their weakness:

I shall take them to Disney World, and then they will be putty in my hands!  MUAHAHA!

My love interest:

This just keeps getting better and better.  Scenario=OWNED.

(Source: thegifinyourfolder)

blooper-boy:

allyouneedisathneed:

Make yourself mother fucking kawaii here.

Yup.

I’m so kawaii that look at all these magicks.  Also everything is purple dammit.

Who I’m marrying:

I am 100% okay with this.

Our son:

Our home life just got very interesting.  =D

Our daughter:

Haha, there are no words.  XD

Our pet:

Oh, that sounds like fun!  I just hope the constant antics in our household don’t scare her too badly…

Our family motto:

What.

(Source: thegifinyourfolder, via hikaritheninja)