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21/11/18 (November 21st 2018)

So many things to do but I keep on procrastinating

I love doing my work late at night  

I’m gonna regret only getting 4 hours of sleep 🌑

Hi all, this is werelivingarts, a new post about time management method: TIME BLOCKING! Time blocking allows you to divide your day into big blocks and helps you to complete similar tasks in one-go without any interruptions! 

You can do your time blocking on:

Google Calendar (simple and easy to use)

Plan (drag your to-do list and organize them in blocks)

TickTick Premium (offer pomodoro timer)

If you’re an introvert you’ve probably at one point or another wonder how you’ll make friends in college. I know that we introverts don’t like to initiate conversation because we’re so content in our own company it’s hard to put ourselves out there to meet new people. However, making friends is a big part of the college experiences and I’m gonna share 5 ways you can make friends in college even while maintaining your sanity and having enough me time:

Study in common areas: This is a simple low-stress way to meet people. Usually, you can study by yourself and still get that feeling of “alone” time. It also increases the odds that you might meet someone and the odds are the persona might also be an introvert as well and you’ll have more to connect with.

Go to interest invents: if you’re an introvert and you want to put yourself out there, you’ll want to do it ins place where you’ll find like-minded people. It will be more fruitful for you because instead of raking up friends you have nothing in common with you’ll usually find a solid handful who have similar interest to you. Interest events include clubs, campus events and shows that your already a fan of.

Social Media: This is an underutilized tool for us introvert. If you’ve met someone in a class or walking around campus but you haven’t gotten a chance to build up a solid relationship with them, it might be worthwhile to follow them on social media 1) it will break the ice and make you feel more comfortable approaching each other 2) it will give you a better idea of whether you guys even have anything in common. I’ve maintained several casual friendships online that have transformed into IRL friendships and the best part is you don’t have to leave your room.

Steal your friend’s friends: if you already have a handful of friends that you’ve met in college but you’re looking to branch out, it might be a good strategy to try to make friends with your friend’s friends. 1) you’ll probably like them because you like your friend 2) you’ll probably see them more often because of your friend’s association with them. Don’t be afraid to strike up conversations with people that are close with your other friends. It’s actually ironic that several of my best friends were friends of people I was friends with.

Be approachable: Easier said than done, but an effective way to make friends that doesn’t always have to be on your end. By being friendly and comfortable in your own skin you actually make it easier for people who may have wanted to be friends with you to make that first step. Maybe if someone comes up to ask you something you can have a conversation with them instead of climbing back into your introvert shell. By simply turning everyday interaction into a chance to build new connections and friendships you be surprised the number of people who probably already wanted to be friends with you!

With that being said making friends in college is hard and it takes time! Don’t be afraid to go through some trial and error when trying to create your friend group. Just keep doing things you like and listen to your intuition when it comes to the people around you. Spend time with people who make you feel comfortable and welcomed and distance yourself from those who don’t. It’s better to have a handful of reliable friends you can count on than a dozen friends who aren’t there when you need them. Good luck and remember that everyone deserves love and compassion.

Xoxo,

1. didn’t perform well as you were up all night cramming? work on study schedules that work for you, with breaks, that guarantee this doesn’t happen again

2. turned up late as you got lost or got stuck in traffic? plan and practice your routine, leave plenty of time!

3. spent too much time on one question? set yourself a time mark after which you move on to the next question. better to try and answer all questions than to only answer half of them.

4. dehydration headache? set your bottle of water next to your study space and mark how much you should drink by the hour

5. feel tired and fatigued and can’t concentrate? plan your meals and find a nice breakfast meal that works for you. it’s so important to eat and drink in the morning!

6. revised before the exam, panicked and couldn’t focus? don’t revise right before it. schedule your team to have at least the day before the exam off.

7. got too nervous on an oral exam? simulate the experience as much as possible. with friends, your partner, family. even when revising, practice answering the question out loud. the more often you do this, the better.

black lives matter means that black artists matter. we must hold our broadway community accountable. here’s a very minimal list of black-centered educational resources that theatre folks can utilize:

Things to read/watch/listen to

american son on netlfix- adapted from the broadway play, stars kerry washington and directed by kenny leon (a raisin in the sun, a soldier’s play). discusses anti-black police brutality, raising biracial children, black cops, & more. bring tissues and take notes. (tw: gunshot noises in second half). (1.5 hours)

“broadway is racist”- video made by actor and playwright griffin mathews (witness uganda/invisible thread) regarding his experiences as a black creator on broadway. includes issues with “diverse” shows, his play’s name change, and white creatives in power who do not speak up for black voices in the arts. (7 min)

“broadway’s jelani alladin explains why white silence is so painful”- I encourage you to not only watch this video, but also follow jelani (frozen, hercules) on his socials to further your education on anti-black issues that broadway regularly ignores. (3 min)

#starsinthehouse episode- seth & james shift their twice-daily show to raise money for the NAACP defense fund, talking about broadway silence and black equity issues with schele williams (original cast of aida and set to direct the revival) and afro-latinx actor robin de jesus (in the heights, the boys in the band). parts of this made me smile and laugh, and others made me stop and asses. a part of this is also recognizes appropriate etiquette regarding non-black LGBT folks and black allyship. (1 hour)

this list of black-created plays you can use as a resource to research or purchase to watch. some well-known names include: a raisin in the sun, schoolgirls: or, the african mean girls play, eclipsed, choir boy.

@blackonbroadway - a blog dedicated to spotlighting black artists and achievements in theatre.

“black lives matter: a virtual celebration of black theatre artists”- broadway sessions held a virtual fundraiser for BLM on june 4, but this video is still relevant in centering black artists and their thoughts on anti-racism and police brutality. features artists from: six, hamilton, tina, ragtime, and more. (3.5 hours)

HIGHER- a playlist amplifying black artists and stories in theatre, both on stage and behind the scenes. please read the caption before listening.

Organizations to support, donate, and sign 

NAACP legal defense fund

Broadway for Racial Justice / direct links to the Nederlander petition (who continuously donates to tr*mp) and BFRJ donations

Broadway Black / direct links to donate and sign

Broadway Diversity Project 

Black Lives Matter resource card

petition to make the apollo theater an official broadway house- there are currently zero black theatre owners. contribute by signing to make the change.

Broadway for Black Lives Matter- held by the broadway advocacy coalition from june 10th-12th. register now.

if you realize you’ve been studying for hours: grab a snack to refuel your body and watch a sitcom to refuel your brain. then back to the books.

if you’re feeling stressed out: take some deep breaths, text your friends, maybe stare at a wall for a few minutes. gather yourself.

if you can’t seem to focus: get moving and get outside. take out the garbage, check your mail box, maybe walk your dog. just get moving and get fresh air. it’ll help bring you back.

if there’s something else going on in your life and you can’t get it off your mind: write down what’s going through your head, sort of like a diary entry. it’ll help you work things out.

if you’re just mentally and physically exhausted: set a timer for 25-30 minutes and take a nap. any longer and you’ll hit REM and you’ll wake up feeling just as tired. once you wake up, get some caffeine in you.

if the material is boring as hell: find another way to study. see if there’s a crash course video online about it or draw out what you’re trying to learn in diagrams and pictures to make it fun.

if people around you won’t shut up: listen to some music. soundtrack and classical music is always good because they won’t absorb you as much as music with lyrics. white noise (like ocean waves, rain sounds, etc.) also works.