How to deal
author: Kaitlynn nordal | staff writer
Take notes, there’s some great stuff here / Jeremy Davis
Everything always seems to happen at once
“So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact, and remember that life’s a great balancing act“ is a famous line in Dr. Seuss’ Oh, The Places You’ll Go.
This may have been one of my favorite books since I was a child, but it was a line I never understood until I was an adult. This semester in particular is where I truly learned what he meant. In everyday life, I’m not only a daughter, sister, or friend, but a co-worker, employee, and journalism student to name a few of the roles that need to be juggled. This juggling does not come without some work, though.
Meetings with my editors at the paper and teachers are something that has happened a lot this semester. If deadlines are going to be met, whether it’s an article or a class assignment, making sure everyone is talked to and understands what is going on in case something is going to be even an hour late is a must.
Coffee has become my best friend. I am not someone who can just pull an all-nighter and still be able to function, so there have been many early mornings over the last few weeks. As my cousin Stephanie says, “I drink coffee like a Gilmore.” This is probably true. If everything that needs to be done in a given day is going to get done, a caffeine fix is a must.
Having a flexible work schedule has also helped. There have been a few times I’ve had to call my boss and either change what time I was coming in or tell her I couldn’t come in anymore. Thankfully, she is okay with this and allows for flexibility, understanding I am a student and school has to come first. Every morning, one of the first things I do is look at the calendar that hangs on my bedroom door. On the calendar every little thing is written down. This is everything from school assignments, article deadlines, whom I’m having lunch with that day, if Salem (my cat) has a veterinary appointment, and so forth. This way, there is no chance of something being forgotten.
Sometimes life does get to be too much and a break has to be taken. When this happens, sometimes just a half hour break cuddling with Salem and watching my favorite show makes the difference between insanity and being able to handle life.
Being a journalist is more than what movies make it look like. It’s more than just running up a flight of stairs in cute shoes, holding a notebook and pencil to make it to your assignment. It is hours spent going through photos hoping you got one shot that is usable. It is writing and rewriting an article multiple times even though it is only 500 words. It is copious amounts of coffee to stay awake to make sure you meet deadlines because there are also many other things going on in life.
It’s not just throwing our berets in the air because we are excited about something – thanks for that Mary Tyler Moore – but I wouldn’t change a moment of it. Not for the world.
