Destination: Beyond Procrastination

The leaves have fallen, the temperature is dropping, and your motivation seems to be following suit. Sound familiar? With the end of the semester right around the corner, it's tough not to become plagued by the procrastination bug. You can't wait to head home and unwind for the holidays, but projects, papers, and endless hours of test prep have been weighing heavily on your mind, with no end in sight. Well, cheer up! There's no need to cancel those holiday plans and succumb to a season of gloom and doom under a pile of deadlines just yet. Here are a few tips to get your motivation motor running smoothly 'til the very end:

* Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Planner:
Nothing can drive someone crazier than trying to remember countless tasks, all with varying deadlines and degrees of importance. Then there is always that one thing you forgot to do when you were at the (insert the last place you just were) and now you have to go back. First step to accomplish everything you need to is to write it all down, even the low priority stuff like "buy shampoo." Getting all those to-do lists onto paper will alleviate some space in your brain, which will reduce mental clutter and stress.

* Break it Down into Small Steps:
So now you've written "paint mural" and "study chapters 9-25," but don't think that the anxiety will simply melt away from seeing your list in writing rather than in the memory bank. A big project (or even medium task) can still feel daunting, so it helps to break it down into smaller steps. A list of small steps or tasks also helps when you have an energy level of one (or less), but still want to be productive - find the small tasks on the list that will take you 15 minutes or less and just get them done. You’d be surprised how much you can get done and how accomplished you can feel in 15 minutes!

* Make a Plan:
Now you have a to-do list that is a mile long and more stress than before, right? This is when you take back control of your list. Sit with a cup of coffee, a calendar and your list and figure out a plan of action! Take the tasks, put them in the order they need to be and can be done and set up a schedule for yourself. Make sure to spread it out so that you're not scrambling at the last minute. Don’t forget to make sure you have put in time to enjoy the season and/or a well deserved break from the list (see the next tip). The key to this task? Actually following your schedule!

* Set Your (Break) Goals:
That's right, a break! Even the busiest of students need some down time, especially when you are working on multiple projects at once. Rather than pulling a bunch of all-nighters trying to get everything out of the way, allow yourself enough time to begin your work, and take some time for yourself when you begin to feel frazzled. Want to feel productive on your breaks? Go for a walk in between studying to get in the exercise you couldn’t get in during exam week. Need to lift your mood before moving onto the next book? Try scoping out some holiday lights at Rockefeller Center, or go window shopping at Macy's in Herald Square. NYC in December is like no other place! Don’t miss the chance to enjoy it.

* Still Can't Organize Your Thoughts?
Organize Your Work Space! Your study environment can make or break your productivity level. Trying to calm down and focus on the details of a Biology chapter? That's probably going to be tough if the desk you're sitting at contains old cereal bowls, dirty tissues, and leftover candy wrappers from Halloween. Cleaning out your clutter can help boost your motivation level, and it will feel good to cross something off that aforementioned to-do list!

* You Are Not Alone...In The Dorm!
One of the greatest things about residence life is that there are hundreds of other people going through very similar experiences as you. If you're still feeling desperate and overwhelmed, don't be afraid to talk to a friend, roommate, your RA or classmate. See how they're handling (or not handling) the workload, what they do to study and prepare, and if there are any tasks you could potentially accomplish together. Sometimes just knowing that there are many others out there struggling to push through to the end of the semester makes you feel like less of an academic outsider.

With a goal-setting attitude, determination to complete tasks, and a promise to celebrate your accomplishments, these factors should help you stay afloat and finish the semester successfully, just in time for a little holiday relaxation. Good Luck!

October’s Program of the Month Proves: There’s No Place Like Home…on Halloween!

A round of applause goes out to October’s Program of the Month at Stuyvesant Park Residence, where each floor participated in a Halloween Decorating Contest. The result? An eclectic hodgepodge of spooky, silly, and spectacular hallway artwork!

And while each floor had an original budget for their decorating supplies, some thought outside the box and used recycled materials, making for a sensational yet sustainable outcome!

Pat Pellicano, the RA on the 6^th floor, knew just what to do with all of those leftover Trader Joe’s paper bags, which helped his floor tie for first place. Reversed, cut and pasted, the bags became the ground to the floor’s videogame fantasy ‘Mushroom Kingdom’ theme, which included eye-popping walls of tinfoil, yellow stars, and a sneaky Princess Peach inside the trash chute! Hey, the rules never indicated that the decorations had to be scary!

Also sharing the win was the first floor, who took their festivities to a theatrical level. RA Ariel Redmond watched her residents collaborate in a rousing rendition of the murder mystery, ‘Clue.’ The judges were escorted by a butler and maid into a dining room full of hors d'oeuvres, until a sudden scream stopped everyone in their tracks. A once lovely Miss Scarlet hung from the rafters, while a mysterious body was found sprawled out on the carpet. Passing down the hall, one saw how residents had utilized their bed frames and doorways as jail cells to contain any suspects in the crime. Red hands and questionable faces were everywhere among this floor’s creepy creativity!

But what made this program a success was not the array of cobwebs, fake blood, and plastic road-kill (gross!) alone. The true key to success? Teamwork. This was the first program of the year where an entire residence hall got involved, and it showed. RAs did their part in tying the event to the larger community of New York City, offering holiday safety tips for residents during their individual floor meetings. Hall Council stepped up to the creative challenge as well with floor liaisons helping delegate tasks, and healthily competitive attitudes from residents made it all happen!

Congrats to all for helping make Stuyvesant Park a funky, fun-filled community. You rock!

For a photo-recap of this program, check out the New School’s Stuyvesant Park fan page on Facebook (http://tiny.cc/1031SPR).

Special congratulations to RAs Nina Barry and Elaha Astanaha over at Loeb Hall, whose Art Therapy program placed them in second place for October’s Program of the Month!

Pre-International Education Week in the Residences!

Every year, one week in November is dedicated to the celebration of international education. International Student Services participates in this joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education to promote programs that prepare Americans for the global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the United States.

This week gives international students a chance to share their ideas, food, and culture with American students, faculty, and staff. Throughout the week, there are special events including a cultural festival, trip to the United Nations, photo contest, and film festival.

International Education Week (IEW) is November 16-20, 2009!

Let's make it 2 weeks long!

Starting November 9, Student Housing and Residence Life at The New School and each of the Residences have put together programs with an international focus.

All students in Housing are welcome to any of the events listed. Are you planning on going in a group? Talk to your RA and get a party going!

If you are interest in the events planned to IEW week through International Student Services, or to volunteer visit www.newschool.edu/studentservices/international or email iew@newschool.edu

September Program of the Month

Congratulations to Liz Irwin, Loeb Hall RA, for her September program about Self-Defense!

Liz and fellow RA Markesha McCoy (Stuy Park) introduced special guest, self-defense instructor Primwatee Groover (Prim) in the Loeb Hall art studio on September 9th. Prim was invited to teach residents how to defend themselves in threatening sitations, become more aware of the increased risk of attacks in the first few weeks of school and learn facts about New York City attacks. A former trainer to Olympic fighters and world champions, Prim volunteered her time outside of her studies as a student at The New School for General Studies.

In addition to Prim's presentation, those in attendance were given information about a local organization, Safe Horizon, whose mission it is to provide support, prevent violence, and promote justice for victims of crime and abuse, their families and communities. Donations were collected for the organization as well. Learn more about Safe Horizon by visiting their website at: http://www.safehorizon.org/

Great job, Liz!

Making a Greener Impact

It's no longer a "fad" it's the real deal and The New School is 100% committed to decreasing our environmental footprint. As a member of our community we thought you'd appreciate a little help and more info on steps (they're easy) you can take to help create a more sustainable environment and learn about Greening The New School. Here are a just a few tips that you can use every day. For even more info check out The Little Green Handbook created by Student Housing and Residence Life. Go green my friends!

• Refuse plastic bags when shopping... take along your own reusable bags. They don't have to be fancy, they can be old plastic bags that you use over and over again (enjoy the look the clerks gives you when they say, "are you sure you don't want a bag?")
• Take shorter showers- save water!
• Take the subway or a bus... but steer clear of taxi's
• Only wash clothes when you have a full load and wash everything in cold.... it's better for your clothes and saves energy not having to heat the water!
• Unplug items when not in use (even an item that is turned off will draw electricity when plugged in)
• Shop at Thrift Stores! Check out the Buffalo Exchange in the East Village and Williamsburg and Beacon's Closet also in Williamsburg
• Shut down your computer, turn off TV, Printer etc. when not in use
• Put in work orders for A/C units to be covered to help keep cold air out
• Recycle electronics, cell phones and batteries rather than throwing them out
• Think about composting (see Little Green Handbook for details)
• Donate old clothes, kitchenware and household items rather than throwing them out
• Shop from local markets such as the one in Union Square
• Participate in New School and Community- sponsored Environmental initiatives
• Spend time in parks, buy organic and recycle!