Viewpoint: Welcome to hump week

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Well Cougars, to quote good ole’ Bon Jovi: oh, we’re halfway there.

Yes, it’s true; we’ve made it to the central moment of our semester — the climax, the peak.

We’ve studied, struggled and slumbered through seven weeks of classes, and after this we’ll have but seven weeks to go.

We’re exhausted, worn out and beat. We’ve gone through the ringer, been left out to dry and now we’re realizing just how much we failed to learn for our midterms.

Honestly, at this point I think we’re all beginning to wonder, how in the world will we make it to the end?

To tell you the truth, I have no idea. Seven more weeks seems like an eternity in my world, so I’m lowering my aim (but not lowering my bar, it’s a very different standard.)

I have a goal to make it to that glorious three-day reprieve we all herald as Thanksgiving.

For some reason, five weeks is much easier to stomach, especially when considering the fifth week has only one day (or two for all those who have Friday classes — try to avoid those, it’s definitely worth the effort.)

The question now, since there’s a gleaming end in mind, is how do we get there?

The weather sure isn’t helping us. As the cold begins to creep in — mixed with its fair share of surprisingly warm days — I become more hermitish and more willing to stay cuddled up in bed a few minutes (or hours) longer.

This can be a problem when the alarm restarts its incessant beeping every 10 minutes — my snooze button’s beginning to get worn out.

Normally when this occurs, I simply get to bed a little earlier — early to bed, early to rise, right?

However, homework, write-ups and midterms are determined to keep my bedtime past the midnight hour.

As much as I try to blame my lateness on classes, I feel I’ve erred in other ways.

During these times of frantic nights spent trying to catch up with the ever growing pile of homework, I’ve still managed to give my Facebook more than its share of attention.

This, in addition to the release of the Kindle version for the final book in the Maze Runner series and those random hours that disappear without ever knowing what was done with them, I’m coming up with a deficit.

Yes, I know the advice.

I could start a Facebook fast, swear to read nothing but textbooks, promise myself a reward for each homework assignment I complete or ban myself from anything that seems mildly entertaining, but in the end none of these will help.

No, nothing will help without a renewed effort.

I admit I need to relax. I need to spend a few moments, as Stephen R. Covey would say, sharpening my saw. I need to renew.

And then, I need to go. I need to do, to complete and to finish.

Thanksgiving break will come. The end of the semester will gradually make its appearance. Graduation will be here before I know it.

Those important dates will wait around for me just as much as Christmas will send the gift of elves to complete my final exams — it’s up to me.

So, Cougars, do you dare to join me in my attempt to make it to Thanksgiving — or dare I say, Christmas?

I plan on looking at my pile of “to do’s” and crossing each one off before the semester comes to an end.

I plan on taking the time to renew myself, then diving in full force to complete the tasks before me.

Welcome to hump week — our chance to look back and ensure the next seven weeks will be better than the ones before.

 

Allie McCoy is the opinion editor for The Daily Universe. This viewpoint represents her opinion and not necessarily that of The Daily Universe, BYU, its administration or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.


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