Time Management and Writing- Esp. During School

So I’m starting my freshman year at Dartmouth right now and the hectic orientation schedule makes me feel like I’m being pulled in all directions. I love the college so far though, and everyone seems so friendly and willing to help you. But with so many events on my metaphorical plate, there’s only one question I have to ask myself…

How the h-e-double-hockey-sticks am I supposed to find time to write?

I bought a miniature whiteboard, printed out my class schedule, and scribbled down various times for sleeping, eating, and bathroom-breaking (it’s a verb now). I’ve set my alarms and maintained that sleep schedule despite various orientation activities, welcome dinners, and even a hypnotist/ acapella showcase. I’ve gone to open houses, ran back to my fan-aerated dorm, and then scribbled down my thoughts on a piece of rigid computer paper. I’m currently writing this while watching my iPhone clock and wondering about how fast I can walk to reach the BBQ that’s in an hour.

I find that most of my writing activities are blocked out in the rare thirty minutes I usually take to dry my hair by my fan after taking a shower, but still a good twenty minutes before I inevitably fall asleep. Writing can still be something important for me even with a busy schedule. Writing- no matter how overbooked I am- is something I enjoy, and I want to do it no matter if I’m up an extra thirty minutes to get that final sentence perfect.

Sometimes you don’t have time.

But you still make time anyways to do what feels right.