i have the constitution of a baby chihuahua and i think i've accidentally tricked you guys into thinking i'm more put together than i actually am!

okokok. biggest thing i can say is get to know yourself and your energy levels and plan around that-- for me, i know i'm not a morning person and unless i have a meeting to go to, i won't get up before 9am, i don't go to bed before 12a, i'm the most productive in the afternoon+eventide hours for homework, but i do chores in the mornings.

with my busier schedule last term, i would plan for days where i would shadow analysts, mark down when my classes were, and then plan homework+presentations into the space between (accounting for walking/driving/travel). i do start my homework+presentations at least a week in advance/as soon as i know i have it assigned/also assuming we've covered it in lecture, if i can swing it. and i'll also try to get it done in one day on the weekend. this semester, i was terrified of disappointing my advisor and needed to update him weekly about reagents i've been trying out, so that was a Very good motivator to get shit done.

i do have a hobonichi planner-- one a day page, a6 size! i try to make some time in the evenings to journal about my day, and in 2025 i'm going to be using some of the front pages to track steps, sleep, water, etc etc! on the actual day pages, i use the timetable on the left to track what i did that day/plan ahead. although i do have to admit, i'm not very consistent with using it because i don't feel like i have a lot to journal about and my google calendar reminds me an hour before an event. usually, i rely a lot on my phone reminders for grocery lists or miscellaneous things i need a mini alarm for (without setting an actual alarm). i also just jam a ton of notes into my phone, but hobonichi also sent out an adorable little notebook with 2025's planner, so i'm going to be handwriting it this year (maybe. phone's very convenient).

re: hobbies! i don't write until the clock hits 9-10pm, nor do i put on a show (currently indulging in House) until i've made enough headway in an assignment or i've finished rewriting a lecture (e.g. on wednesdays after lab stuff, i'll rewrite tuesday's lecture, on friday, i'll rewrite thursday's). this is why i'm so slow at writing LOL. it also helps that i am very good at guilting myself into doing non-fic stuff first, but i don't actually think it's very healthy to be mean to yourself,, so don't do that... anyways! hope this helped!