Oberscheduling. The campus phenomenon that even the best of us fall victim to. There are plenty of fantastic things about Oberlin and campus culture, but ambition is both a blessing and a curse. My first-year advisor said that this was a curse he’s seen every one of his advisees fall victim to just by virtue of being an Obie—everyone wants to do everything and also be the best at it.
Let’s say you’re the latest victim of the Oberscheduling curse. Your Google Calendar is full of overlapping events, your to-do list is two pages long, you’re on your third cup of coffee, and you’re in too deep. Now what???
As a recovered former Oberscheduler, here are my best tips on managing a heavy workload, just in time for the end of fall term!
Clean up your workspace.
You’re busy, you’ve got three things due by the end of the week, and you don’t have time to sit and clean because you’ve gotta rush to get stuff done, right? WRONG. As someone with a chronically messy desk, I’m forced to take time to clean every time assignments start piling up, because I need a lot of free space if I want to fit my laptop, my textbook, a notebook, my water bottle, and a cup of coffee on one surface!
The same thing goes for your digital workspace. Close those tabs!!!
Overall, I’ve found that having a visually minimal workspace can be really helpful in lowering short-term stress levels when you find yourself overwhelmed by a hectic workload.
Break down your to-dos into smaller chunks.
I’m pretty sure this is a Center for Student Success-approved method, but it’s also something that I’ve always found helpful. Rather than writing down “write essay” on my to-do list, I’ll break it into “make outline,” “finish works cited,” and “write first draft,” etc. Then I’ll do one or two of those small tasks every day to make the whole thing more manageable.
It might also help to order your to-dos by priority. I use Notion, so I sort each assignment by due date, write down when I plan to complete each “chunk” of the assignment, estimate how long it’ll take, and give it a priority (first, second, third) label. That also helps me translate my to-dos into time blocks in Google Calendar!
Don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Office hours can be a saving grace. If you’re worried about what grade you’ll get on an essay, why not just meet with your professor and ask them what they’re looking for? Some professors might even be willing to work through arguments and help you structure your paper, which was invaluable feedback for me as I was adjusting to different academic writing styles.
There’s also the Writing Center at Mudd, where I’ve gone for help with weird citations and brainstorming outlines. Another friend of mine, a sociology major (which has a Stats requirement), credits her ability to finish her major to her Stats 101 peer tutor. (I personally haven’t tried the peer tutoring program because my friend is one, so I just exploit his unpaid labor.)
And finally...
Take care of yourself.
I know. Cliché. Easier said than done. Whatever. Last year, every time midterms or finals came around, my room would fall into a state of disarray, my “meals” were just combinations of different snacks, and I’d hole up at my desk working until someone physically pulled me outside.
Don’t do that!
One of the easiest self-care things you can do is just maintaining a normal hygiene routine. Even if it’s late (like, 3AM), always brush your teeth and wash your face. Moisturize, or even take a shower! I find that a literal refresh is one of the quickest ways to rid myself of brain fog, and sometimes you need to step away from the screen to come back with a new perspective on an assignment you’re stuck on.
With all that said, good luck with this final stretch of fall, whether you’re an Obie, prospective Obie, or just a reader of this blog!
