Live Life

This last week I sent out the question for the blog to my class. I told them that Tamara Gray, our speaker this week, has left a huge impact on my life. Especially when talking about time management. Tamara doesn't see time management as a way of "making, finding, buying more time". She stresses the importance of slowing down, not over scheduling, and not multitasking.

I love this perspective. Ever since I have been home from my mission I haven't really been a huge fan of multitasking. The closest I get to multitasking is listening to music or a book while I'm driving, cooking, doing more relax homework.

I hope this doesn't become a soap box, but I have a really hard time with the invitation to slow down. I think it is the best invitation that can be given in this time and age (as you will see from President Uchtdorf), but those who receive the invitation believe it is just a far off dream that they can never reach or obtain. People feel like they are in so deep with whatever they are doing (work, school, or hobbies) that they are so convinced that they can't get out.

As I have been talking with and observing fellow college students, I have seen that there is no humanly possible way to accomplish everything at school and still live LIFE. Let's make a pile of to-dos and responsibilities that come with being a student at BYU. There is tuition (one of the cheapest-I can't imagine this process for another student at another university).  If there is tuition then there must be a means by which it is payed. It could be through a scholarship which gives a learner full time to focus attentions on school. Seeing how a small percentage of college students receive a scholarship we must move to grants and loans.Those help, but sometimes they are not enough and as for loans they must be paid off. Most people in this situation are working a part-time, if not full time job. In that job there are responsibilities that must be met. If those responsibilities aren't met, then you are looking at being fired or feeling guilty for not being able to give it all you have. If a student is working, they must be willing to sacrifice some of the time that is necessary for effective study and preparing for classes. Each class has a syllabus full of to-dos. Depending on your classes, you are either bombarded with daily homework assignments or you are given assigned reading for class. Which if you look at the majority of my readings and at the pace I read it would easily take me 2-4 hours just for a fast pace reading a lone. There are a few more things that some classes may throw at you during the semester just to make it more interesting. Now wait, if you are a BYU student you most likely have a calling. A calling that does ask for attention. That could range from preparing programs, teaching a class, or at least home and visiting teaching for everyone. And if you attend the same services and programs I do, you may receive a strong admonition to date. If you can keep up at this pace you might find yourself in a relationship that will now not only demand time, but honestly some emotional stress as well. But that's OK,  if you skip the dating scene then you have plenty of activities to choose from: ward, apartment, campus activities, campus games and events, movies, community events, the list can go on! This doesn't even include the time we spend on YouTube, Facebook, and Netflix just to stay sane or the time you spend eating. 

Recap-

• School: Full-time student status12-18 hrs
• Work: Part-time2-4 hrs daily/Full-time 8 hrs daily
• Homework: EASY-5 hours (when done all the way/don't forget the all the TA help you can receive too!)
• Callings:1-3 hrs a week (can be more)
• Social life: 1-2 hrs daily (depends on the status of the relationship can go up or down)
• Activities: Limitless opportunities!
• Sane: 1-2 hrs daily. 
• Eating:1-2 hrs daily. 

None of the numbers are hard or solid evidence, put a guest-amation of  what I picture the reality of college life. It is apparent that something is left out of the many options of what is asked or even sometimes demanded from us. 

Now, I want to make one thing clear. I am very  grateful for the blessing and opportunity I have been given to be at a great college where I can be pushed to become better and "smarter". I believe that God has had his hand in me being here so that I can make it through "the system" that exist today, but we are blind if we don't see the problem that exist. We are insane if we don't do anything about it. I simply say I'm going to start by taking control of my life first. President Utchdorf, in his video, pointed to the Savior as the example. I ask what he asked, "[Can you] imagine Him bustling between meetings or multitasking to get a list of urgent things accomplished[?] I can't see it. Instead I see the compassionate and caring Son of God purposefully living each day. When He interacted with those around Him, they felt important and loved. He knew the infinite value of the people He met. He blessed them, ministered to them. He lifted them up, healed them. He gave them the precious gift of His time."