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This is the time of year when us grad students start to get a little crazy.  It is a time for roommates, friends, family, and significant others to cut us a little slack.  Our behavior might seem a little strange, and we might say things that make no sense but make complete sense to us.  It is just how it is.  Finals are approaching and we all go a little kooky.

Thanksgiving is the last call for normalcy.  My parents retired this past year and decided to rent a condo somewhere warm and settled on Myrtle Beach.  My brother and I ventured down south to visit my mom, dad, aunt, and uncle.  I spent my remaining “normal” days soaking up the sun, jogging on the beach, going to nature preserves, eating good food, spending time with family, and catching up on some homework.

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This semester, I have four classes: Revenue Generation Strategies, Finance, Media Strategies, and Decision Makers in Music Business.  So far the workload has been manageable, but post Thanksgiving, as a second year grad student, I know what is about to take place.  I can feel it coming.  HARD CORE STUDY ZONE.

I have a paper, project, and presentation in every class that will make or break my grades.  I just have to remind myself, I’ve done this before and I can do it again.  It is time to buckle down and get serious.

Grad school is a serious commitment.  It has been a lot of work, but it has been totally worth it.  The only good thing about getting sucked into the fury of finals weeks is that you are not alone.  Fellow classmates are going through the same thing.

The last few weeks are tough, but I have created a copying method.   This method is an EXTENSIVE to do list that maps out my path to freedom.  I create lists within lists.  It provides a sense of calm within my chaos.  Also, I have accepted that my sleep schedule will be limited, and my eating habits will be strange and untimely.

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Grad school isn’t just learning about new facts, theories, and trends. It is also about time management.  Life is going to have crazy times like finals.  Going into arts management, there will be plenty of times when things are going to be intense and borderline unbearable.  It is important to accept that life isn’t always going to be a breeze and you are going to have to deal with the chaos.  So look out finals, you are about to get owned!