Wrapping it up!

This whole blogging experience was way better than I thought it would be. In the beginning of this semester, when I first heard that we were blogging in my English 112 class, I hated the idea because, writing really isn’t my thing, and that I wasn’t really comfortable putting my blogs and my business out in public. I would have never pictured myself ever blogging, but these past four months blogging has been great!

There were so many topics to choose from, but I knew that time management was the right choice for me. My time management in the beginning of the semester was terrible, I would never have any time on my hands, I procrastinated way too much, and I was stressed to the max. But blogging about my problems with time management definitely helped me get through it.

Blogging about time management made me realize that I just can’t do everything and that I need to say no sometimes. Reading other bloggers in my community and reading articles, gave me some really good suggestions and ideas.

After reading blogs and articles, I made a huge decision, and that was to quit dance for the rest of the year. Honestly, quitting dance was one of the best things that I have done, because I thought I would never give up something that I loved and have been doing for 15 years, but I realized that it was taking up too much of my time and that I needed to stop and focus on school.

Ever since quitting dance I have had more time on my hands, I am less stressed and I have been able to focus on my school work. I wouldn’t have been able to do all of this if I never have blogged, so I am very happy that I chose this topic, because it has to help me get through my struggles and has helped make some really big decisions and also, I have gotten some really great feedback.

Even though I don’t think I was a part of my community at all, I really enjoyed reading and commenting on other peoples blogs in my community. I felt that I wasn’t a part of my community because I would comment on blogs more than once but they never would never respond or would never comment on my blogs.  But I am pretty sure that I am not the only that this is happening to.

For being a first time blogger, I thought my blogs were pretty good and very successful. I have over 150 page views, and have had people from all over the world read my blogs, which makes me feel great. Even though I was a bit nervous about writing my blogs, a lot of people have tend to like my posts which it great.  Although, I did have a hard time writing my first couple of blogs, but they started to get easier each week I did them.

Overall, I am very pleased with all of my blog posts, and I honestly wouldn’t change a thing. I think that blogging is such a great way to get out your thoughts, ideas, struggles, and experiences. Even though I am not continuing with my blogs, I am so happy that I was able to blog about time management in my English 112 class; I probably wouldn’t be able to accomplish all of the things that I have been able to accomplish now.

I finally was able to say NO!

Last week, I got an unexpected call from my dance teacher saying that he needed to me to teach for one of my teachers since she is pregnant and is going on bed rest soon.  I called him on Saturday saying that I don’t think I will be able to teach, because, I need to focus a lot on school since finals and exams are around the corner and that I will be really stressed going up to Alexandria 4 days a week. He said that he understands, and that he is going to try to find someone else. He felt bad because all of the pressure was on me and because this was a last minute thing.

I think I made the right decision by saying no, even though I feel really bad because I know I let my dance teachers down. But at the end of the day, focusing on my education is more important.

Yesterday, I got another unexpected call and it was my dance teacher again. He called to apologize about asking me to teach at the last minute me and that he found someone else to teach, so I don’t have to worry. But he also called to tell me that he is going to need a teacher in the summer for summer classes, I told him that I am willing to do it because its only twice a week, for only a month.

Since my teacher offered me to teach summer classes, I think I am going to take his offer and do it. He told me that I would get paid, and that would be good for me because I could really use some money over the summer.

The only thing I am not looking forward to in teaching summer classes is that I have to go all the way to Alexandria, and there probably will be a lot of traffic going up there and going back home.  But in the end I am willing to do anything for my dance studio since they have done a lot for me.

I dont know what to do!

It has been a month ever since I have taken a break off of dance, and I love it and miss it all at the same time.

I got an unexpected call the other day; my tap teacher wants me to teach for my jazz teacher because she is pregnant and is due in May and she is leaving in a week or so. When he told me this I was so shocked that I had to tell him that I would have to call him back. I talked to my mom about this and she didn’t really think it would be a great idea because she said that she has noticed a change in me, for example I am less tired, I get all of my work done, I seem very happy and that I have more time on my hands. So I had no clue what I was going to say to my teacher about this

 I really wanted to do it, but, I know that I’m going to go back to the same routine as before which is go to class, then go to dance, then do my homework, and then go to sleep. I thought about this for a couple of days and I called him back and I asked him when he needed an answer and he said by tomorrow, so I am really torn on what to do.

This is a lot of pressure on me because I don’t want to let them down, and because I am really the only person they have left to ask. I wouldn’t mind doing it if it was for a couple of days but the days I would teach would be Tuesday-Friday, and that would be a lot of time I am giving up.  

I keep on having mixed feelings about this, because I really want to teach but I don’t want to lose my freedom again, and not only am I dancing but I am teaching so that is a really big step for me if do it. If I do it I feel like I am going to be really stressed out because when my teacher is gone there are still three competitions left and then recital! So that is really stressful and the pressure is all on me if I say that I can’t teach.

I mean I will do anything for my dance studio because I have been there for 15 years, but this is big and hard decision for me and I really don’t know what I am going to do.

It just stinks because I have been doing so well with my time management and then all of sudden this comes up, and I know if I say yes to teaching all of my hard work and my time management is going to down grade a lot. This is just a really hard decision, any ideas or suggestions?

Sources for my analysis paper

My first potential source for my analysis paper is a blog called Mindful Time Management. I chose this blog because it also has tips, but it also has things that are a waste of time, and that I shouldn’t get distracted by. This blog really relates to me and my topic, even though the blogger doesn’t blog that often but they really talk about organization with time management. For example, procrastination, lack of poor planning, interruptions, etc. These are mainly the things that waste my time, especially procrastination. I always tend to do things at the last minute and I can’t do that because I already have plenty of other stuff to do.

My second potential source for my analysis that I will be using an article called Time Management. I use this article a lot because it has a lot of helpful tips on time management and they are very effective. This article is mainly about how time management affects college students and how they give you tips and goals to set to help improve the struggle with time management.

The reason I chose this article was because it relates to me a lot. For example, it talks about setting goals, scheduling ahead of time, having a calendar and etc. All of these things relate to me because after reading this article I now use a calendar, I set my goals, and I try to schedule things ahead of time. So these examples have really helped me a lot, this is why it is going to be my potential source for my analysis paper.

My third blog is called Time Management Blog. This blog has really helped me out a lot because the tips and the time wasters are very useful and helpful. It also has helped me with being less stressed and made me realize that I need to cut back on certain activities.

Time Management Article." Business Coaching for Results with Business Coach Wendy Hearn. Web. 30 Jan. 2012. http://www.business-personal-coaching.com/time-management-article.html.

My accomplishments

This week I have decided that I am going to blog about what I have accomplished ever since I have stopped dancing. Ever since I have stopped dancing I have been able to manage my time and I have been able to accomplish so many more things that I haven’t been able to do in such a long time, and these things are:

·         Managing my time- Instead of rushing everything when I use to dance, Now that I don’t anymore I have a planner and schedule what I need to do so I have more time on my hands

·         Getting all of my school work done on time-I use to put off my homework at the last minute, or I wouldn’t do it at all, but I now I usually do my homework the night I get it or the next day.

·         Spending time with my family and friends- I can actually have family night Fridays now or I can hang out with my friends and not be so tired.

·         Going to the gym and still staying active- Even though I quit dance I decided that I wanted to join the gym to relieve all of the extra stress that I have and I want to still stay active.

·         More time to myself- Although I love being around my friends at dance an all, but having time to myself is great! I tend to get more things done when I am by myself.

·         Getting more sleep- When I use to dance I only got about 5 or 6 hours of sleep, but now I can take naps and get 8-9 hours of sleep

·         Focusing more on my career and future- When I was dancing I wasn’t really focusing on my school work and my career but I realized that school is more important because dance isn’t want I want to do for my career teaching is.

I am so glad that I have been able to accomplish all of these things on my own, and realizing that I made the right decision so I could accomplish these goals. I am excited to see what I will accomplish in the next few weeks and to see where I will go from here.

Taking it one day at a time

During my spring break I decided to go to my dance studio’s dance competition at Forest Park High School. I was already a little nervous about going because I didn’t want my dance teachers to say anything negative to me, and I didn’t want to get depressed watching all of the dances that I use to be in now that I am not there at the dance studio anymore.

While the dance completion was going on one of my favorite dances that I was supposed to be the “star” in was about to go on! So after the dance was over I started balling my eyes out, I was so upset that I wasn’t competing with any of my close friends anymore and that I wasn’t in my favorite dance.  My dance teacher saw me crying and pulled me aside and said “I know you are upset, but you have to realize that you were stressing yourself out with all of this dancing, there is always next year.” I thought to myself she is right, I wanted to take a break dancing and focus and when I can manage my time and be less stressed can start dancing again. I just need to take it step by step.

After my breakdown at the competition I was thinking about all of the symptoms that were listed from the Mayo Clinic and I realized that crying and feeling sad is a sign of depression. I usually don’t cry a lot but lately I have been very in my feelings and I think I am a little depressed. So I am going to try to work on that and to just try to get dancing off my mind at the moment.

Watching my dance studio compete was a really big step for me, and I am proud of myself for going, but it really made me realize that I do miss dancing. Who knows, maybe I might take a couple of classes during the summer since I won’t have any classes.

Now that I am not dancing at the moment I decided to sign up for the gym so I am still active. I love going to the gym, but I am just not as motivated as I was when I went to dance.  But going to the gym is a really good way to relieve all of my stress and it helps me clear my mind.

Overall I really do think my time management has gotten a lot better, I am much focused on my school work and looking forward to perusing my career.


Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Definition." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 10 Feb. 2012. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/depression/DS00175/DSECTION=symptoms>.

Nervous of having symptoms of depression ever since quitting dance

It has been a week since I have quit dancing, and it has felt great to have so much free time on my hands. I am very happy with the decision I have made, I thought I would regret my decision but so far I am very glad that I have made this choice. I can’t say that I don’t miss dancing because I do a lot! But it just feels great to not go up to Alexandria every single day and then get home at 10:30 at night, it was just way too stressful, but I do miss dancing a lot.

I was looking at some research on withdrawal and depression symptoms, because I was nervous that I might experience this a few weeks from now.  While I was looking at these symptoms, I realized that some of them relate to me, and it kind of worries me. For example:

·         Feelings of sadness or unhappiness

·       "  Irritability or frustration, even over small matters

·         Loss of interest in normal activities

·         Insomnia or excessive sleeping

·         Changes in appetite — depression often causes decreased appetite and weight loss, but in some people it causes increased cravings for food and weight gain

·         Agitation or restlessness — for example, pacing, hand-wringing or an inability to sit still

·         Indecisiveness, distractibility and decreased concentration

·         Fatigue, tiredness and loss of energy — even small tasks may seem to require a lot of effort

·         Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things

·         Back pain or headaches"

I just hope I can try to get rid of these symptoms, and try not to worry about all of these things because it really worries me to think that I will have depression or something near that.

My goals for these next few weeks is to try not to worry about everything, to relax, to focus on school and my career, and to try to take my mind off of dance.  But as I said I am very happy with the decision I have made but, I just don’t want to be depressed that I am not dancing every day and that I don’t really see any of my dance friends anymore.  I just need to give it some time.

Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Definition." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 10 Feb. 2012. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/depression/DS00175/DSECTION=symptoms>.