Stretching myself thin

I've always had a lot of free time. Since secondary school, I was never very much involved in any CCA or any outside activity, which meant a lot of time at home. All these years, I've been using that time to play computer games, or watch TV shows online, etc. I'm not used to being out often or till late. I don't like to.

This coming semester though, seems like it's going to be the toughest 3 months of my life, in terms of activity overload.

The following is not a rank order, but just in random order of whatever comes to mind.

1) IRO PAL

I am working part time at the NUS International Relations Office, as a Peer Advising Leader. The commitment level is roughly 8-10 hours a week, so that's quite a bit of time gone. I'm hoping the events stop coming and I don't have to go in much.

2) Honors Thesis

Part of my thesis project involves data collection. Data collection means hours spent in the lab, both running the study as well as data entry as well as analyzing the data. I don't look forward to this, especially if I get a null result which will suck.

Apart from data collection, there's still the thousands of articles I have to dive through to try to form some coherent story in my thesis which I guess I can only write in semester 2 or late semester 1, since I won't know how to proceed without my results.

3) IFG - Tchoukball

I'm playing Tchoukball for my faculty (go Arts!) at the Inter-Faculty Games, so there's gonna be trainings about twice a week until the end of August when the IFG occurs. Time time time.

4) NUS - Tchoukball ? 

I'm planning to try out for the NUS Tchoukball team, and if I get in, that means practice twice a week. That is not including time spent for competitions or IVP training (if I get in). The best thing that can happen is for me to fail at trials and not get selected, would take a burden off my chest. But if I can, I definitely will go la haha. Best thing as in best for my problematic workload.

5) RT

Because I failed my IPPT by 16s (yes fml. stupid 2.4km run), I have to go for 20 sessions of Remedial Training by Nov 5th. Hooray that's 20 evenings gone. (RT is about 6-8PM, total time about 4 hours including travelling time)

6) Gym

I still plan to go to the gym 3 times a week, Mon, Wed, Fri. If it gets too tough with both IFG and NUS trainings then I'll reduce it to 1-2 times a week for August, and resume the full schedule once IFG is over.

7) Two heavy lv4000 modules

Somehow, this semester, the two Psych honors-level modules I picked are both very intensive. Both have 3-5 readings each week, and one of them has a very intensive CA (project, presentation, regular essays, thought questions). GL HF. Need to hold on to my second upper honors

8) Church

Recently, my gf has been attending church regularly and I'm very very glad about that. Last sem/year I've been kinda slacking on my church attendance, often sacrificing Saturday or sometimes even Sundays to take a 'study break' (as in, break from church to study instead). I can't and I shouldn't do that anymore, as I want to attend church with her. So that's Sat evenings +Sun mornings.

9) Relationships

I'll still want to spend time with my gf of course, having gone through a harsh lesson about how important spending quality time with each other regularly is. I also have other friends that I want to meet up with, have a meal here and there, etc. Where do I dig up the time? How do sports people make dinner appointments when trainings are all at dinner-inappropriate times? (e.g. 6-9pm)

10) Entertainment

Ok, the actual heading is 'League of Legends'. I've been stuck in Silver1 forever and I really want to climb to Gold league. Though looking at things, I'll probably be too tired when I get home everyday and just play one game for my free win. Apart from games, TV shows generally come back when school starts for some reason, so that's more time gone there. How to study?

~

Wow. Almost (didn't have #10 before edit) 10 facets to juggle. This is so daunting.

Dear Lord, please give me the strength and ability and wisdom to manage all of these commitments. Help me to know how to manage my time well, and prioritize things well. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

 

 

Fitness Journal #13 - Body and Weights Progress

Warning : This post contains images of myself TOPLESS. If you find the idea of me topless extremely disturbing, STOP READING NOW. I WARNED YOU. I repeat, stop reading!!

[Dream] Snowfall, Dogs and Waterproof Cards

I was with this primary school friend, J. He was this short fat guy that I used to be friends with. Anyway, I was just walking with him down the streets and we walked into a coffeeshop. Then we walked out. Then we heard some noises - like some people were fighting. I got a bit anxious so I walked further away. Then I saw someone running out of the coffeeshop holding a chair in his hand.

We were suddenly back to walking on the street. Not near the coffeeshop anymore, just on the street. It suddenly became cold, like un-Singapore cold. Like 10 degrees Celsius or lower kind of cold. I looked around wondering what was happening. Suddenly, it began snowing!! Flakes of snow floated down to the ground like scenes made in dreams (ha ha. get the joke?). I felt really happy. Singapore is finally snowing! My lifelong dream has come true! (I did it again)

I sent a text message to Szehong to ask her to come out to play with me in the snow, as I sit down under shelter comfortably and very contently watch the snow fall. Blissful...

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There was a dog next to me. I don't know whose, maybe a stray. It had just tried to run past me but its leash got against my bag so it got stuck, then it just hovered around. I slung my basketball (which was in a sling) over my shoulder to adjust it, and I think the action looked like I was tossing it for the dog, so it SPRINTED off into the snow expecting the ball to sail through the air for him to retrieve.

Instead, the ball just thudded next to me, and I felt bad for deceiving the dog. But in that swinging motion, the basketball sling broke.

Then a group of guys came over and asked me accusingly 'You broke the sling??!', with the insinuation that I was going to have to replace it. I recall thinking 'wtf, I bought this sling in the first place, so if anyone is upset it should be me!'

Then they asked to borrow my basketball. I was reluctant to lend it to them. Then they asked to borrow my poker cards. The moment I said ok, they rushed to open a square table out in the snow and laid it out to prepare for the card playing. (I know, it makes no sense, but this was the dream)

 

Then I said 'Oi! my cards are not waterproof! Don't play in the snow! You all damn gambling kings sia!'

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Then I woke up. The dream was over, but the exhilaration from having snow was still there. I lay in bed with a smile on my face for a few moments, and tried to remember the jubilee I felt when I first saw the snow and hold it in my mind for as long as I could.