Kroll Report 4

Perhaps the most difficult challenge to conquer in college is time-management. I left high school confident in my ability to work diligently and to get my work done. But after 5 weeks of college, I understand that I have never been so wrong in my life. You should literally dedicate every waking moment that you aren't eating or in class or playing tennis of course, to studying and homework. It all sounds so easy in high school. I said things like, "I don't understand why college is so hard. You literally have all day to do your stuff." If I could go back in time I would slap myself for saying that.

The reason why dedicating so much time to studying is because high school never once demanded that much time. You went to class for 8 hours a day and maybe spent 2 hours doing homework. In college though, the time is literally flipped. I spend about three hours in class everyday, then try to do as much homework for the rest of the day. I don't go to bed until 1:30 am on a regular basis, which is nobodies fault but my own. I desperately need time management lessons from Amy, who I am told goes to bed before 10 pm every night. 

I have already recognized my time management problems. Next, I have to actually do something about solving these problems.

Every time I walk in to Armstrong I stop by at least 3 rooms on the second floor to check in with some of my friends. This often to leads to a combined thirty minutes of chatting. Thirty minutes wasted. Our talks often turn into complaining about how much work we have to do and how late we will be up doing. I can't help but laugh at the irony of our complaining.

The laundry room is on the opposite side of the hall as my dorm. I consistently walk back and fourth to check for open washers/dryers. The laundry system of Armstrong is cut-throat. There are 5 washers and 5 dyers for 5 floors of students. You better check up on your laundry often because people will take your stuff out of the washer when it is done and leave it on the table, wet. The time I spend patrolling the laundry room probably amounts to a good ten minutes, every time I go to my room.

Eating at the Caf is like a get-away from the hustle and bustle of college life. But not the kind of get-away like a vacation where you go and eat really good food. Sometimes I'll sit at the table for over half an hour after finishing my meal. I just sit there. Then I get ice cream. And then I sit there some more. If I went to Caf just to eat and then left promptly I would save a lot of time for studying.

Last week I took a completely unnecessary trip to Hyvee after lunch. Did I really need anything? Of course not. I bought a magazine. But, I guess since I accompanied Shade the trip could count for team bonding. We rented Coe bikes (which are one speed "beach-cruisers" according to Shade). Shade had quite the experience on those bikes. We rode through the grass of the New Apartment quad and she asked, "Is this what being in a gang is like?" I almost hit a fellow Coe student I was laughing so hard. Then on the way back, her seat broke. Had I not taken this trip I could have studied for about an hour and a half.

The point is I have realized that while a Coe education is about gaining knowledge from a number of different subjects, it is also about learning important things about yourself. I have learned that I am terrible at time-management and it's something I have to work on...

A quick word on Homecoming:

The football team absolutely dominated. The dance was hot and sweaty. A window was busted, and the floor of my hall is really sticky.

A quick look to the off-season:

Running with Ryan so Brad and the rest of the team doesn't call him fat anymore. C'mon guys, he's sensitive.