Adjusting.

I am currently trying to adjust to school and doing pretty well, I think.  There are moments I feel proud of myself for getting ahead and completing assignments early to reduce my stress levels.  There are other moments I look at my calendar and feel overwhelmed, asking myself "when will I have time to complete these assignments?"

But, in general, I find that most assignments take me less time to complete than I thought they would, I just have to sit down and concentrate.  

The biggest time-sucker so far is all of the reading - several chapters of books per week, plus a list (usually 5 to 6) of scholarly articles.  Many of these articles reinforce or repeat each other, and some people are very good at just scanning them, but I like to read them all and be really, fully prepared and "in the know" if at all possible.  Thus, the trying to get ahead.  I love reading, and some of the articles and textbook chapters are interesting, but others are really dry, totally mumbley-jumbley mixes of technical words that I struggle to absorb.  Those parts I scan. :)

I see now why people claim getting a Master's degree requires much more self-discipline than an undergraduate degree.  My classes are relatively long (two classes per week, 3 hours each), but MOST of the work and reading happens outside that time.  And you really have to make yourself do it.  My lunch hour has typically been my wonderful read-a-book break time.  Now, it's evolving into school-reading time.  

Honestly, my biggest complaint with school so far is my physical discomfort - I love working at my dining room table, because it's big with lots of space for laptop, books, and paper.  But the chairs are not comfortable for a full three hours.  So I am considering moving to my reading chair, or the couch - but both of these locations may be TOO comfy.  Decisions, decisions.

I am off for my lunch hour now - to read about retrieval tools.  I know you're jealous.