In a class I took my first semester at Cornell. HE 1115, the instructor Mike Chen always emphasized how important it was to complete little chunks of work each day instead of waiting until the few days before an assignment is due. I struggle with this since, often, just the idea of completing a major assignment can stress me out so much that I wait until the latest appropriate moment to begin. This lesson was also something that House Fellow Zach Grobe made a point to emphasize in his Grad School 101 Seminar. The process of applying to grad school– researching schools, taking exams, writing essays–while balancing my semester workload is one that often stresses me out when I think of what my last year at Cornell might look like. I don’t want my last year to be burdened by the thought of all the work I am going to have to do for applications. This seminar really helped me realize how important it is to start the process early on just to continually familiarize myself with the deadlines for each step. This way, it is easier to visualize what needs to be done by when and to have ample time to plan out each move such as taking specific standardized exams, asking for letter of recommendation, writing a personal statement. When I am stressed about school assignments, I often find that just starting the assignment helps to alleviate a-lot of the stress because I feel like I am being productive and I realize that the assignment is not that bad after all. Hopefully, I can motivate myself to apply this to grad school applications so that future me is able to enjoy her last year at Cornell.