Study Tip Saturday: Blocking Out Study Time (and sticking to it!)

Okay, I realize the only Study Tip Saturday that was actually on a Saturday was the first one. For this week, though, I actually have a great excuse! My class gets finished tonight (yay, me!), so I need to have this post uploaded before it’s done. Think of it this way, you can for sure use this study tip anytime tomorrow (on Saturday).

So what are we discussing today?

How to block out a study time and actually stick to the schedule you’ve made. 

First of all, it’s important to realize why we’re talking about this. As working grad students our time is incredibly limited (as if I had to tell you that). We work, and then we student. Then we go to sleep. If the schedule gets off, somethings got to give. For me, that’s usually the student-ing.

Follow these steps to really set aside and stick with your study time. 

Step 1: Learn when you study best.

The world is full of early risers and night owls. Depending on which you are, and what your day-to-day schedule looks like, find a time of day that works best for you to get schoolwork done. 

For me—and I’m not even lying—it’s anywhere from about 4:30 a.m. until I have to go to work at 8:00 a.m. depending on what I have to get done. I like to study before I get my day going because it’s before my brain is fried. It also helps that the rest of the world is still asleep so there are no distractions from roommates, family, texts, emails or social media.

Step 2: Get it scheduled. 

I’m old fashioned and still have a paper and pen planner. I know a lot of you probably have calendars on your phone or computer. Whatever your schedule of choice (and you best have one), make sure you actually enter your study time. Treat that time just as importantly as any other appointment you have.

Step 3: Schedule an end time.

Honestly, the to-do list will never be done. Even if we worked all day, we would never reach the point of ‘nothing left to do.’ So be sure to schedule an end to your block of time. Don’t get sucked into the black hole of schoolwork, or you may never return.

Step 4: Set an alarm. 

Reminder yourself! We’re forgetful and scatter-brained. Nobody can expect anything else of us. Just be prepared and set some type of reminder.

Step 5: Actually study.

When the time comes, you just have to do it. Find your ideal study space, sit down and dive in. Just like ripping off a bandaid (but maybe more painful at times).

Fitting schoolwork into your already-crowded schedule can be tough. Don’t make it worse than it has to be. Block out some time, and follow these 5 steps to actually stick with your plan. 

Now go get some A+’s!

Giving to Your Alma Mater (or anything for that matter)

I wish I had a ball of hundred dollar bills...

It’s a common misconception that people our age have an ‘expendable income.’ I think that term largely leaves out those of us who balance work and school. So how do you handle it when you’re asked to donate money?

Maybe for some of you this isn’t an issue. Maybe you just have the guts to say no and walk away. 

As for me, I’m a giver. It’s a blessing and curse really. But I think everyone should have a cause they support simply because everyone needs to realize the world is much bigger than their world. 

I have a cause I hold near and dear to my heart (which is a story for another date), but I also get excited about others who have a cause. I want to help them just like I want them to help me. So that leaves the poor working grad student in a terrible position.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself when your alma mater, or anyone for that matter, is asking you to give from the little time, talent, treasure you have.

1. Is the cause something you care deeply about?
2. Is the person someone you’re close to?
3. Will your donation actually be used to support the cause? Or just administrative costs?
4. Is it tax-deductible?
5. Will you lack of a donation kill the spirits of the person asking?
6. Is a person asking? Or is an institution asking?
7. Are you being asked because of your unique connection to the cause?
8. Do you have a unique connection to the cause?
9. Will you feel badly about not giving?
10. Will you feel happy that you did give?

When someone is seeking you out to donate to a cause, don’t feel bad taking your time to think it over. Run through some or all of these questions, and decide if it’s something you can do right now. If it’s not, just politely explain your situation and move on.

How do you handle the flood of emails asking for financial support?

Are You Really a Grown-Up?

In our society, we don’t really have a “coming of age.” There’s no one event or day when you begin as a child with no experience or knowledge, and come out as an adult with the skills you need to survive in this harsh world. 

In fact, we make it much more difficult because we also throw around this term, “young adult.” Can those two words really go together?!

Here are a few hints that will help you determine if you’ve reached a point in your life when you can comfortable call yourself a grown-up.

Hint 1: The microwave is not your appliance of choice when it comes to cooking meals.

Hint 2: You actually have a bed frame rather than a mattress on the floor. 

Hint 3: You own clothes that can’t be dried in the dryer. 

Hint 4: Your parents don’t pay your bills. 

Hint 5: “Home” is what you call the place where all your stuff is, not what you call the place where your parents live (but don't actually tell your parents that).

Hint 6: You don’t eat cheese by itself (i.e. you eat cheese with wine, grapes, crackers or similar partner).

Hint 7: You shop at stores because you like them, not because it’s all you can afford.

Hint 8: You don’t remember the last time you used the word “dude.”

Hint 9: You can pick up the phone and call someone if need be (without having to write out a scripted conversation to read from). 

Hint 10: You read books for fun.

Hint 11: You don’t use the word bored (instead you cherish your relaxation time). 

Hint 12: Your email account contains no combination of the words “princess,” “gurlll,” “hunk,” “hottie” or words of that nature. It also doesn’t contain unnecessary repetition of letters (i.e. “babbbbbygirl257”)

Hint 13: You actually have an email address that’s not associated with a school (unless you work at a school of course).

Hint 14: There’s more than just beer in your fridge.

Hint 15: You refer to yourself as an adult, not a grown-up.

So next time it becomes a bit hazy, refer back to this fantastic list of hints to remind yourself that you are not, in fact, a grown-up.

How to Get Away with Schoolwork at Workwork

Sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in a day. Other times, the dreaded group project is getting to crunch time. Still other times, we’re just plain past the point of no return when it comes to procrastination.

As working grad students, young professionals, and busy human beings, somethings gotta give. So all ethics aside, how can we sneak some of the schoolwork into our time designated to workwork.

Try to remember these four double letters. You’ll notice I left out the ‘A’ because that’s what comes at the end of the semester (bad joke—couldn’t help myself).

Bathroom Breaks

Use them wisely. People these days bring their smartphones everywhere. So carry yours along with you on your bathroom breaks. During this time, you can check your email, read through discussion posts, keep an eye on grades, and do general schoolwork monitoring.

Clever Combinations

If you’re lucky, your schoolwork and your workwork have some similarities. Combine and re-purpose your work wherever you can. If you can choose topics for school projects that correlate with your job, do it because that’s what we call killing two birds with one stone.

Discrete Discretion

I’ll admit it. Not the most clever title. It is important to be discreet, though. This advice is not guaranteed to earn you the best grades—fair warning. Make sure any school work you do is multi-tasked with workwork. For example, listen to online lectures through you headphones in a minimized window, and learn when major meetings are so you know who’ll be wandering around your office area.

Familiar Formats

Use applications and formats you use at work. If you’re in sales, type discussion posts and drafts of papers in the body of an email, so it doesn’t look suspicious. If you run your company’s blog, type your schoolwork in a blog draft. Basically, just try to be resourceful with the tools you use at work.

In the end, the most important thing is to not compromise your workwork with the schoolwork you squeeze in. Ultimately your education is to help you get (or get better at) a job. Don’t lose site of the end goal, and don’t lose your job doing schoolwork at workwork.

How else do you manage a heavy load of schoolwork and workwork?

Overcoming Your Fear Before It Overtakes You

So one time, I jumped out of an airplane. Yup. I got in an airplane with the sole intention of jumping out. 

For the sake of full disclosure, I do feel the need to tell you I was strapped to a man who was strapped to a parachute. So really, all went as planned on my skydiving adventure. 

What I did realize as people were telling me how crazy I was, though, is that the entire process can be transferred to any situation in which I ever feel fearful.

Step 1: Just Say Yes

As we make our mark in the real world, we’re going to be put in situations and given opportunities that scare us. I read once that if something scares you, it’s probably a good thing to try. Even if the opportunity doesn't turn out how you planned, that can be counted as one more time that you overcame your fear (go you!).

Step 2: Be Prepared

I jumped out of an airplane with every possible safety net (you know..besides not jumping out of the plane). I was strapped to a trained professional. He was strapped to a parachute. I like to tell myself there was a backup parachute, but I guess that can’t be confirmed. Part of overcoming the fear involves easing your mind with plenty of preparation. 

Step 3: Let Go of Control

Again, I was strapped to a trained professional. So if we’re being honest, I really didn’t jump out of anything. I had to let the professional completely handle the situation. It was out of my control. For most people (I’m definitely part of this ‘most’), this is the hardest part of a fearful situation. Whether it’s trusting other humans, trusting a system, or putting your trust solely in God, at times we just have to let go of control and trust.

Step 4: Cherish the Moments

Fear sucks. I won’t lie. But overcoming fear is far more beautiful than fear itself is ugly. Take the time to feel the fear, but—more importantly—take the time to feel the pride of overcoming that fear. Recognize your growth, and don’t be a afraid to toot your own horn!

Let’s be real for a minute. Raise your hand (or comment below) if you’ve ever been afraid. We’re twenty-something millennials who sometimes the world has no hope for. We pretty much have no clue what we’re doing, and we’re striving for experience any way we can get it. Pretty scary stuff if you ask me.

Fear can be debilitating. It can be an earth-shattering, nerve-wracking, frozen-in-your-tracks feeling. And that’s normal—healthy even! 

But we can’t live behind that fear. At least, we can’t live behind that fear if we want to go anywhere in life.

So when life gets scary, let’s just try to remember…one time, I jumped out of an airplane.

12 Thoughts Working Grad Students Have Daily (as Illustrated by my F∙R∙I∙E∙N∙D∙S)

We’ve all been there. We’ve all had the thoughts. We’ve all (hopefully) gotten to know Joey, Chandler, Monica, Phoebe, Ross and Rachel.

Well if you think about it, they’re the original six models of our lives as young adults. Who better to illustrate our common thoughts than the F∙R∙I∙E∙N∙D∙S we know and love?! Exactly. Nobody.

Do I have something due today?

I wonder if I'm doing this right.

I bet the professor won't grade this too tough.

If I get at least a <<insert lowest possible grade here>> on this assignment I can still pass.

Do I have something due today?

Oh crap, that project is due already?!

When can I go to bed?



Can't do this the night before? Challenge accepted.

Can I drink wine while I do this assignment?

Do I have something due today?

Wait, what did I get points off for?

It’s okay. I can handle this.

Share your other common thoughts, or even your favorite F∙R∙I∙E∙N∙D∙S memories below!

Nobody Else Knows What They’re Doing Either

It’s natural to feel intimidated. To feel under qualified. To feel naive. It’s even more natural as a young professional, a new graduate or even a student working through tough classes.

While it might feel like you’re on an island, trust me, nobody is immune to this. In fact, I had an undergraduate speech teacher tell me once that these types of nerves are a good thing. Being nervous and questioning how prepared you are shows that you really care about what you’re doing.

To be honest though, what I’ve learned so far is this.

Nobody really knows what they’re doing. 

Honestly. Why else would Google be as popular as it is? Not a single person has it all figured out. Nobody is all put together. Everyone has things to learn. 

Now as someone who can’t even always identify what all of my stuff is, it’s clear to me that some people have their stuff together a bit more neatly than others. That’s not to be said that they know exactly what they’re doing, though. 

Compared to me (a young professional with literally everything left to learn), these people are usually: 

• More experienced
• More confident
• Better at faking, and
• Have more resources

They use these advantages to learn a field, a position or a trade. As they continue to excel at that trade (or those trades, if they’re superhuman), they become more and more comfortable in their role thus giving off the impression that they “know what they’re doing.”

But let’s be real. Nobody really knows what they’re doing.

I know that’s a comforting thought, but we all still want to strive to be someone who seems to know what we're doing. So what we can do?

We can absorb everything—the good, the bad, the ugly. Literally everything. Take in what others in your work or school environment are doing. Learn from the mistakes others make. Master a skill others have. Absorb everything. 

We can have a good attitude. In fact, we can have an over-the-top, smile-through-the-pain, annoy-everyone-around, good attitude. Be willing to learn, develop and grow as a person and a professional. Adopt a good attitude.

We can fake it until we make it. One of the best TED talks I’ve ever seen deals with faking confidence until you feel confident. It’s a proven method to change your personal outcomes. Fake it until you make it.

It may not be natural to accept, but it’s time we all realize that we aren’t the only ones completely lost and confused. Nobody really knows what they’re doing.

So how do you plan to display that you do?

Study Tip Sunday: How Stress Affects Your Body

Dang guys, 4th of July weekend got me and I am off a day on my study tip…again. My sincerest apologies to anyone who was trying to study yesterday (mostly because I’m sure it was distracting with the firework displays, but also because you didn’t have this awesome study tip). 

This tip comes to you from my desk at TotalWellness (which is where I work..otherwise it’d be weird for me to have a desk there). I made this infographic at work to help people manage the stress of their daily job functions.

Like most great content, however, it’s multifunctional. Whether the stress is from work, school, having children, or just life in general, it still affects your body the same way. And let me tell you, it’s not affecting your body in a good way.

Check out this simple graphic, and the other content on our TotalWellness blog (shameless plug for work) to get an idea of how your lifestyle can determine your overall health.

How do you de-stress in your life?

25 Quotes to Get You Through the Day

Sometimes as grad students, young professionals, millennials or just humans, we need a bit of a pick me up. Keep this post bookmarked and share it with your friends to be just that.

Now keep in mind these are all my favorites (mostly from my Pinterest board), but feel free to share your own favorites below!

1. “But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength.” 2 Timothy 4:17

2. “Choose to see the good stuff.”

3. “God gives us only what we can handle. Apparently He things I’m badass.”

4. “Kid you’ll move mountains. Today is your day. Your mountain is waiting so get on your way!” Dr. Seuss

5. “I never look back darling. It distracts from the now.” Edna Mode

6. “Do not believe all the things you tell yourself late at night.”

7. “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once and while, you could miss it.” Ferris Beuller

8. “Take pride in how far you have come and have faith in how far you can go.”

9. “Faith is not knowing what the future holds, but knowing who holds the future.”

10. “Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let the pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place.” Kurt Vonnegut

11. “Don’t be scared to walk alone. Don’t be scared to like it.”

12. “If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams, and you will always look lovely.” Roald Dahl

13. “Nothing great has been and nothing great will ever be without passion.”

14. “At first glance, it may appear too hard. Look again. Always look again.” Mary Anne Rodamacher

15. “If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try.” Set Godin

16. “Let your faith be bigger than your fear.”

17. “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” Walt Disney

18. “Don’t be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams.”

19. “Do what you can with what you have where you are.”

20. “Life is too important to be taken seriously.” Oscar Wilde

21. “Fear not for I am with you. I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous hand.” Isaiah 41:10

22. “Life is like a roller coaster. It has ups and downs. But it’s your choice to scream or enjoy the ride.”

23. “Take every chance. Drop every fear.”

24. “Never let success get to you head. Never let failure get to your heart.”

25. “Don’t worry. Everything is going to be amazing.”

Now, don’t you feel better? Go out and kick some serious booty.

Study Tip Saturday (On Monday): Study Space Necessities

My name is Becky Squiers, and I lost my balance. The first step to getting better is admitting it..right?

I still have a study tip for you all. I’m so sorry that it’s coming on Monday. I hope you weren’t at a complete loss on Saturday without it. 

That being said, I think we can all benefit from this awesome infographic about organizing your study space. As a graduate student, you’ve probably got a study routine down. If you don’t, it’s time to make one. 

As working grad students, we don’t have time to mess around trying to figure out which pencil is best and where to keep our wine coffee so it’s always in reach. 

These are my study space necessities, but feel free to add or subtract things according to your preferences. The most important thing is to set up a study space in which you feel comfortable so you can get the most out of the little time you have.

What other things do you need for an efficient study space?

Working Grad Students and the Worst Question Ever

Alright, maybe there are worse questions out there. But this one’s at least close to topping the list. As a graduate student who also has a career (and who some would consider crazy), the question I dislike most in the world is: 

"What do you do?"

Silly? Maybe. Surprising? Not really. The most loaded question you’ll ever hear? Definitely.

If you’re staring at the screen nodding in agreement, please accept my sincerest apologies that you’ve been in a similar situation. If you’re a bit confused how a question that seems so simple can be so difficult, allow me to explain.

In my experience, there is simply no good answer (not even an elevator speech) to that question.  

You can answer with, 

“I go to school at <<Insert Your School>>.” 

The problem with this answer, though, is that it doesn’t quite do you justice. The whole point of extra schooling is to get a specific job. It’s very career focused. So if you have a career, shouldn’t you be explaining that and just bypass the extra schooling you’re getting?

This type of answer also begs a lot of other follow up questions that may or may not be the most fun to answer.

I suggest using this answer when asked by:

• People you go to school with (because otherwise it’d just be confusing)
• Other people who go to school (hello med student. yes, I’m an MPH student.)
• Random passerby (you know..if they ask)

These people either understand your struggle and won’t hate you for leaving work out, or they really don’t care that much, so the awkward follow up questions will (hopefully) be minimal.

On to option B.

“I work as the <<Insert Your Title>>, at <<Insert Company Name>>.”

Answering like this is a bit more simple, but it doesn’t explain why your hair is a mess and you have that crazy look in your eye.

That’s because your life (and by your life, I obviously mean mine), is just not that simple. School complicates things, and it’s fair to want to justify the fact that you carry a to-do list and extra pens literally wherever you go.

This answer might be best for: 

• Other professionals (who might not take a student as seriously as they would a peer)
• Distant relatives (eventually you’ll just be working, they don’t need to be bothered with how you go there)
• That cutie you always see at <<Insert Where You Hang Out>> (because talking about your lack of sanity is more of a fifth date type of topic)

These are people who you either need to respect you as a professional, or who just don’t need all the messy details. 

If half-answering the question isn't your style, I guess you could also just tell the truth. 

“I go to school at <<Insert Your School>>…”

“Oh, how nice..what are…”

“But I also work as the <<Insert Your Title>>, at <<Insert Company Name>>.”

Answers like this might take a little longer, and will likely be greeted with shock, awe and general musings about your mental health. Be prepared for loads of questions about each part of your life, how they all fit together and how you manage your time.

The people worthy of the truth: 

• Close friends or new friends who you’ll be seeing a lot of (because they need to know the real you to love the real you)
• Close family members (because they deserve to know what happened to the sister/daughter/cousin they once knew and loved)
• Coworkers (because transparency is best, and they might have some great advice on managing the two)

These people are your allies. Your support system. Your resources. They can help you get through the tough times, but only if you explain to them why the times get tough in the first place.

No matter how you choose to explain (or not explain) your life choices to those who ask what you do for a living, remember to try to answer the question with class. It can get frustrating boiling your complicated life down to a simple enough answer. Try not to take that frustration out on the poor, innocent question-asker. 

What other questions about how you balance your life do you find difficult to answer?

Study Tip Saturday: In a Group or Alone?

Happy Saturday! Unfortunately, if you know the struggle of working through grad school, you know that Saturdays usually turn into study days. To keep you pushing through the weekend study sessions, stay tuned for Study Tip Saturdays.

Today, let’s talk about studying in groups (or as I like to call it misery) vs. studying individually (aka the gold standard). Obviously my opinion is specific to me, but let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each to figure it out.

Now I would like to clarify. Up until my last college basketball game last year, I’d been on a team pretty much consistently since I was probably 8 years old. I know how to be a teammate, and in my own (albeit biased) opinion I’m a great one. There is just something about group school work that doesn’t really allow for a transfer of that awesome teamliness for me.

So if we are being forced to study, let’s take a look at our options.

Group Studying

Pros: 

• Potential for fun distractions
• Bounce ideas off one another
• Clarification of things you don’t understand
• Sharing of resources (i.e. notes, books, snacks, coffee…)

Cons: 

• Potential for fun distractions
• Worrying what others think
• Groupthink (ya know..when someone thinks they’re right..but they’re wrong..and you find yourself accidentally thinking they’re right too)
• Finding a pace that works for all of you
• You’re only as strong as your weakest link (which can be terrifying)

Individual Studying

Pros:

• Work at your own pace
• Study where you feel comfortable
• Focus on what you need to work on
• Schedule distractions as you need them (late night jam sesh anyone?!)
• Study when it fits with your schedule (which can be strange for us working, schooling folks)

Cons:

• Potential for loneliness
• You’re responsible for all the resources (and coffee can get expensive)
• No one will correct you if you’re wrong

I’m clearly exerting my own bias on these pro/con lists, but let’s be real for a minute. Studying as a grad student can be tough without work and life to think about. It can be harder when you’re trying to balance it with the rest of the stuff that’s happening. 

Just remember that studying is meant to help you be successful in your classes. If you study better alone, don’t feel like you need to get roped into a group session. If you study better in a group, don’t be afraid to ask a few people (your classmates, preferably) to join you.

The bottom line is this…figure out your best study habits and be intentional about studying that way. You (and by you, I also mean me) don’t need the added stress of studying in an uncomfortable situation. 

What are some pros and cons of the way you study?

The ‘M’ Word and How to Overcome It

So let’s be honest. Do you really call yourself a millennial? I can’t say that’s the first (or any) word I use to identify myself.

No matter whether or not you and I consider ourselves millennials, though, the rest of the world does. Which shouldn’t be a big deal. Am I right?!

Unfortunately, I’m not (which hurts me a bit to admit).

In reality, the millennial generation describes people born between 1980 and 2000 (the dates are hotly debated, so bear with me). Unfortunately—like a lot of things in our society—the word is completely loaded.

Today millennial can mean a variety of things, and most of them seem to be negative. Society views millennials as entitled, inexperienced and even lazy. What can be overlooked is that millennials are also innovative, tech-savvy and focused on social justice. 

Now which (if any) of these do you use to identify yourself? Does millennial really fit? If so how can you overcome the negative stigma to exemplify the great things a millennial can be?

Work Hard

The biggest negative stigma is that we rely on the internet and don’t do any actual work. As I write papers at 5:00 a.m. before work, I know that’s just not true. Our work might look different. It might look unconventional, digital or interesting. But it is work, and we definitely need to keep doing our best. 

Be Personal

We’re the generation that’s grown up with the digital age. Personally, I think that’s pretty cool. We’ve literally got information at our fingertips whenever we need it. On the flip side, we’ve sacrificed a bit of the personal communication that’s necessary for..you know..life. So be personal, even if it feels uncomfortable.

Be Creative

Like I said—information at our fingertips. How cool is that?! It’s so important to use that information. We have the potential to be the smartest, most innovative and developing generation yet. Think outside the box.

Millennial might have a negative stigma in our society. It also has some potential for awesomeness! So let’s grab the bull (or the word, I guess), by the horns and magnify all the positive things that can come with being (or being told that) we’re the millennial generation. 

The Crazy Life that Is Graduate Student, Young Professional Combined

Welcome, friend. 

I’m here to let you know that you’re not alone. I know working, studying and figuring out the real world can be tough. It can be stressful. It can be overwhelming. It can be tiring. 

It can also be memorable. Affirming. Encouraging. Educational.

So grab a buddy (that’s me. nice to meet you.), and let’s take it in stride as we tackle the challenges together. 

See, Balanced Out is all about camaraderie. I’ll be honest. I’m not an expert. I’m a young professional. I’m a graduate student. And, I’m a millennial. I’m here to be a partner on this journey because—as I said—you’re not alone.

Keeping up with this millennial lifestyle blog will not only help you feel the support and guidance of people just like you. It will also provide you with tips to conquer studying, work and the challenge of maintaining your sanity.

You can grab all of that information while taking a much-needed break from the absolute madness that seems to be your life. 

Just to keep it all in check.

There are many things this blog is. 

It is a support group. 

It is a guidebook.

It is a break from the madness.

And, it can even be your saving grace as you navigate graduate school and the working world.

There are also many things this blog is not: 

It is not a space to spread negativity. 

It is not an extra assignment to add to your calendar. 

And, it is not a replacement for your real life friends (please..that’s just awkward.)

Keep these things in mind when the going gets tough. Even if you don’t feel like you can be the tough that got going, come on over to enjoy the company, laugh through the pain, keep the faith, and kick some serious booty in this thing we call life.

Are you ready?