Ever since I stepped foot onto a college campus, everyone talks so much about how to prioritize. They couldn’t be more right about that, but how it’s typically described in orientation isn’t how you’ll be using it. People try to slam priorities into neat little boxes that do not have any overlap. If you take the time to neatly prioritize your time and money, then you’ll be set! It does not always work like that though. Life is going to throw you things everyday that are going to mess up all the things you thought of when you made some big plan for college/life. There will be bad things like your assignment disappearing even if you swore it saved. There will also be chances to do things and buy things that you wouldn’t think of on a normal basis. Seeing as I only have a few short months here, it has forced me to really think about what I want from my time here. Life is big and messy, which makes it hard to prioritize. Set some goals or know what you want out of your life then go from there.
That being said, the thing that currently has top priority in my life is adventure. I’m on the other side of the world for a few short months without knowing how or when I’ll ever get back here. I’ve decided that some things are going to have to take a back seat while I’m here. The first thing that went was my desire to always be drinking great craft beers, which is probably good for my health but maybe not my sanity. This is because Australia must make beer out of unicorn blood and gold. I was blown away at the price of beer here (for anyone that ever travels to the States, find dollar beer nights). The next was eating out and quick easy meals. If you are ever short for money, learn how to cook. Restaurants and microwaveable dinners prices are so high because they are selling you the convenience of not having to cook. It was two easy steps because I knew those things were not what I wanted to focus on here.
Where has this gotten me? I was able to sign up for a PADI class through Devocean Dive that came up out of the blue for a discounted price if I signed up that day. I was able to pay for a whale watching tour and I’m planning out everyday how I can get around to see this amazing, but expensive country. It is easy to prioritize once you realize that everything in your life is interconnected. What you do with your time plays into how you’ll spend your money that wraps back into that you spent too much money and now you have to stay in all week reading Game of Thrones so that you can still afford to go to a concert that weekend. All the planning in the world though won’t protect you from hiccups like losing a wallet. Be aware though that too much planning can lead to missing out on amazing last minute experiences. Stop and think about what you love. If you can’t survive without Tim Tams, then air dry your clothes instead of paying $2 a load to dry them. It is all about just going with what is best for you.
Don’t stress out about it. Realize what makes you tick and prioritize that.
– Jennifer
