Too much work

[Supermyrt]

Hey everyone
I'm studying Tourism and Leisure management at the moment.
I do really like it and want to continue with it but school is killing me.
We have an unrealistic amount of work to do.
We have 7 papers (6 are groupworks, one has need to have a video and paper, 5 need an oral presentation/ defending), 3 or 4 big assignments every week and deadlines that are almost all in the same week and 2 portfolios (each with about 15 more assigments) to make.
I don't know how they expect us to do everything. We have 10 classes every week and all of this work.
I don't have time to start on summaries ( we have 7 exams as well).
I hardly sleep, have no time to relax because we have too much work. (papers aren't small papers: one of them needs to be about 120pages).
I'm so stressed and feel like crying all the time because I'm not going to be able to finish everything in time.
I think i'll probably fail everything and I can't because when we go on exchange, your placement depends on your grades (only the best students get the best placements).

I just don't know how to do all of this.

[Celyn]

That sounds tough!

You've clearly got a lot of work to do, and it's understandable that you would feel stressed and feel like crying all the time, trying to get everything done on time.

Firstly, is there any way you can drop classes? We might take on loads of classes for all sorts of reasons, but sometimes it can get a bit much. If you are able to, you might want to consider reflecting on your classes and whether you can drop something to lessen the workload, giving you more time to focus on your other classes.

It's also really important that you are organised and manage your time effectively. If you haven't already, it might help to write a list of all your assignments and exams in chronological order and put it somewhere that you'll see. This can help with planning as you know what's ahead (and it can also be motivational when you start reaching the end of the list!) It's also good to try to prioritise your workload too. How you do this depends on different factors such as: What needs to be completed first? What are the bigger projects that might take up more time? What are the things you find easy or what do you struggle with? You might prefer to get the smaller things done first to give you more time on assignments that you need more time with. Or you could spend more time on the larger assignments first, if you feel confident that you'll still be able to complete the other assignments in time.

Once you know what needs to be worked on, you can then figure out when. Since you have a lot to do, then it's good to set aside time each day to work on these things (as opposed to trying to get the work done a week before the deadline). It can be difficult trying to find the time, but you may be surprised as to where you can fit some work in e.g. on your way to and from school, lunchtimes, getting up a little earlier on the weekends. It doesn't have to be a lot of work...even if all you do is write a few notes or bullet points. Something I used to do was type on my phone or tablet, and then send it to myself via email so I could work on it on my computer. Every littles helps and it does all add up!

You can also try different methods depending on what assignments you have. With the group work, you may find it helpful to meet up with your groups and get things done together or split the task up. For exams and other things, even though reading or writing notes can help, you might want to try other things such as making flashcards, using mind maps, recording yourself reading your notes and play it back to yourself so that you can memorise it more etc.

Even though school and work take up a lot of your time, it's still important, perhaps more so, to make sure you have time to relax and sleep too. Maybe try to find some time before bed to relax? If you are worrying, you may not be able to sleep much, so it can help to write down your worries and then tell yourself that you'll try not to worry when getting to sleep. Avoid using your phone or other screens at least 30 minutes before bed, and instead do something that helps to calm you- take a warm bath, read, meditate, do mindfulness etc. It's also more than okay to cry if you feel like it, and you might even feel a bit better after it.

It seems like your biggest concern is not being able to get the work done on time and failing everything. Even though it might be difficult right now, try to have some faith in yourself. You've done well to get this far, and thinking that you'll probably fail everything might not be as helpful as if you tell yourself that you'll try your best. Remember, whatever happens, it's not the end of the world- there are chances to re-do assignments or get a placement somewhere else.

It's also good to talk to others about the work and how you are feeling. Your teachers might be able to help you with the academic side of things and counsellors can help with stress related issues too, so don't be afraid of reaching out and asking for help!

Hope you can get through the workload okay

[Mirabelle]

Hey, in addition to what Celyn brilliantly suggested, here is an excellent study guide containing strategies that may greatly help you.

http://www.studygs.net/

Do bookmark it for later.

Wishing you all the best,

Belle

[AndrewRodgers]

Oh, I understand you so well! I also have so many tasks at the university and moreover I try to finish a course on Coursera 'How To Create a Website'... it takes a lot of time.

What helps me is every day plan! At least, I see what I have to do step by step and I can prioritize my tasks. It's easier said than done, but still...

Also you can ask for help friends/ classmates/ sister or brother if you have one, and to delegate everything what is possible to delegate.

Seldom I apply to student's help services, [Edited]

To sum up:

1. Collect a list of all your tasks.
Pull together everything you could possibly consider getting done in a day. Don’t worry about the order, or the number of items up front.

2. Identify urgent vs. important
The next step is to see if you have any tasks that need immediate attention (if not completed by the end of the day, will have serious negative consequences). Prioritize and start from the most important and immediate.

3. Don't think too much. Just do it!

4. Ask for a help (it can be your friends or writing services, or even your teacher)

5. Find time for sleep. It's necessary to start your new day and do more tasks.

Wish you luck!

[jeffjones]

There's never too much work, but i understand what you're saying. When i was 17 and went to college i for the first time in my life felt like the weight of the world on my shoulders. It was hard, i thought about droping out and quitting. My friends helped me tho. Mike, my best friend, helped me with my dissertation [Edited]. It was the help that i needed at the moment. With the help of my friends and family i graduated and now live happy.