Finals Week Getting the Best of Me

[MaytheSchwartzBeWithYou]

Hi all!

I'm at the end of my first quarter (my finals week is this week), and I'm having a fair amount of trouble balancing the amount of work I have to do before Friday night despite having started researching, etc. weeks ago. I have two final papers due, and have been trying to juggle working on both of them each day. BUT, I still have a fair amount of writing to do and I'm starting to freak out. I'm pushing myself pretty hard, but I still feel like I'm moving too slowly to get it all done. I'm also a perfectionist and am doing my best to accept that this might not be my highest-quality work (but I still think the writing is overall pretty good - what's finished, anyway).

To complicate matters, I have a chronic illness that affects how easily I become tired, as well as cognitive functioning, depression/anxiety, etc. I was diagnosed earlier this year and, as I had been functioning fairly well at work before I left my job, I decided to register with the DRC but see how well I did the first quarter before asking any professors for accommodations (I'm thinking now this was a major mistake). I handled everything pretty well overall this quarter, but I am finding that especially with writing assignments it takes me longer to complete them.

Because we submit assignments through an online system and I haven't mentioned my disability to my professors, I feel like I need to stick with the original deadlines (Dec. 15th @ 11:59). I'm not sure exactly why I am posting here or what sort of advice/comments I am looking for - but any thoughts would be helpful. I feel like I really should have just talked to my professors at the beginning of the quarter, but after hearing about stigmas in academia and some advice I received from my former committee chair, I was really hesitant to do so. 

Thank you for the opportunity to get this off my chest!

Schwartz

[rising_star]

At this point, it'll be difficult for your professors to give you any accommodation, especially since the deadline is coming up so quickly. The best approach is to do the best you kind (don't worry about being a perfectionist; just turn things in) and in the future, seek accommodations through the DRC. Good luck!

[khigh]

As much as you probably don't want to, take a break.  Get up and dance or listen to music, have a glass of wine or beer, and forget academia.  Even for 15 minutes, it should take a load off your mind.