WEEK 19

The start to my second half...

Alrighty so, I've started CMGT 597 aka my last semester of my Communication Management program and my last semester of my thesis!

Last week we met with Ben Lee, one of the other thesis advisers, about what to expect in CMGT 597.

This semester things are different because we don't have structured due dates and we mainly have meetings with our advisers rather than actual class. This may sound all fun and games however...as I've found...it's A LOT HARDER. 

I am SOOOO not motivated to do ANYTHING. I'm in that stage where I'm justifying not doing even close to as much work because I lost so much sleep in the beginning of August and I worked so hard blah blah blah...when really I'm just procrastinating and being lazy. 

I'll do a little work here and there, but then either feel motivated to go see friends that I hadn't seen when I was in my cave or sleep. That would be fine if it were just for a couple of weeks...but it's been around 4...THIS NEEDS TO STOP. 

I've also noticed a pattern of trying to workout and get some work done over the weekends...and then telling myself Sunday will be the day...and then....NOTHING. Instead, I get home from whatever I'm doing, intending to work, and taking a "deserved" nap for an hour...which turns into 10. Now, some of you may be thinking "you're just catching up on your sleep, it's okay Nicky." But in reality, I was caught up a long time ago...and I know I was sick this past weekend, but not THAT sick to where I need a ridiculous amount of sleep.

What I look like when I try to get up from my nap...and then retreat back to my bed.

At one point I even took a nap on the floor with Izzy, using her bed as my pillow (this is right next to my thesis area of my dining room) so that I wouldn't get too comfortable and not wanna get up. 

What it looks like when Izzy wakes me up cause she has to pee and I don't wanna move. 

So today is my official start to cave-ness. A minimum of 5 hours of work a night-no excuses. 

And starting next week, I'm going to try and have a 5pm-8pm time where I work at my office. SO I'll ONLY be leaving my office after 8pm, and even though, that's with the intention of going home and finishing the other 2 hours, leading me to go to bed at roughly 11-midnightish. This will give me around 6 hours of sleep, which is perfect! 

I realized that I was socializing way too much after work and then going home and working... working until 4am every night and waking up at 6. This is SO not healthy. 

I really can't let what happened last semester happen again. My eyes and health literally can't take it. No excuses. So if you thought I was in a cave before...it's gonna be even more rough this time. 

I apologize in advance for not being around as much the next couple of months...

But here's the good news: They say we should be semi-done with our thesis by November 4th. So we have the whole month of November to put the finishing touches, conclusion, check and double and triple check citations, etc.

And the final deadline is...drum roll....
DECEMBER 10th!!!!!

So that means only 3 more months of this!!! EXACTLY 3 MORE MONTHS!! 

So here's a little breakdown of the next couple of months:

• September- finish collecting data (focus groups) and transcribing data
• October- analyze data and write
• November-finish up analysis and conclusion, quadruple check citations
• December 10th... D-Day...DUE DAYYYYYY or as I like to call it...DUE-DUE DAY

Things to remember/lessoned learned from last semester:

• This will all pay off in the end, and the end is near!
• WORKOUT, no excuses
• prepare meals on sunday night instead of napping, lazy-ass
• get my 5 hours done before 11pm and I'll get a full night of sleep
• Cave-mode will only be for 3 more months, your friends will understand that you not seeing them=you making it through this without needing glasses, sleeping more, and not being hospitalized at the end due to stress

• In order to keep up with your relationships more you need to call people and communicate in other ways since you might not be able to see them as much
• TAKE YOUR VITAMINS
• Ask for help when you need it
• Keep being grateful for such an amazing opportunity you've been given 
• Keep being grateful for the support and love you get from those around you
• Be more presentable in public...just because you're working on your thesis, doesn't mean the whole world has to see it on you...seriously. 

• DO NOT NAP IN YOUR BED...IT'S A TRAP
• Maybe set up people alarms, like friends calling you to wake up instead of relying on your phone...cause that OBVIOUSLY doesn't work that well. 

Some inspiration to get me started...

and for my workouts:

Like all my friends who also have full time jobs and are in the Ed.D program, law school or med school...seriously, dunno how you guys do it!

OH and found this...laughed a lot...for those of you who were there to me hear me complain about one of my previous classes, you'll know why...

Love, peace and sleep (unfortunately it is about to be 4am...looks like my new schedule will be starting next week...)

ME!