Motivation: Life Will Go On

Since my teenybopper years of high school, I’ve always taken on more than one should be able to handle. I worked part-time and I was involved in every three extra-curricular activities, no big deal.

In college, I tried to do the same my second semester, and I almost killed myself (not literally, of course, I value my life). I vowed never to do that again, and then sophomore year came, followed by junior year, which was followed by this year – senior year!

Every semester, things would get significantly harder and it was hard to fathom the idea that my older colleagues were trying to engrain among my peers and me that it would get worse!

Here I am senior year and although I am getting accustomed to my schedule, it does get difficult sometimes. In a nutshell this is my schedule:

- Monday: class, work, class from 12-10 p.m.

- Tuesday: ATVN news anchor from 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.

- Wednesday: work from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. (this is my day off!)

- Thursday: ATVN producing basically 6 a.m – 7 p.m.

- Friday/Saturday: Internship w/NBC Universal from 9 a.m – 4 p.m.

- Sunday: HOMEWORK DAY! (So kind of off)

Also, keep in mind that from Thursday to Saturday, I am on 4 hours of sleep (at most) every day. Fortunately, I’ve gotten used to this routine.

The most difficult thing for me is trying not to look so tired. At this point, I think my body has gotten used to this routine so I don’t always appear tired, but that wasn’t always the case. This is especially difficult when you are interning and trying to meet people. No one wants to see an intern yawning or quiet, and when you are tired, that’s usually the case.

At the end of the day, what helps me get through my rough schedule is motivation. I find that when I have a motivation, in my case I am graduating and I want a job, it’s easier to move push through the rough times because great things are to come. I am anchoring, producing and interning because this is what I came to USC to do ($200,000 later!).

Motivation is a powerful thing, and coupled with a well-defined, but realistic goal, it’s a powerful mechanism to help you get through the day, and life in general.