post-charrette resolutions

It has been approximately thirty hours since I officially finished my first real charrette. Twelve hours of sleep, six loads of laundry, three nutritious caffeine-less meals, and a roughly four hundred calorie workout later, I think it's time to reflect a little on my lifestyle these past four months and consider all the improvements to make if I want to live old enough to have a shot at building the Real Cool Stuff (architects are late bloomers. the key to success is...to live long.)

1. Coffee. I can drink coffee...before a lecture class, namely Arch and the City. No more 1 AM Coffeehouse visits. I've come dangerously close to cutting myself with my jittery hands too many times, including during yesterday's final five hours.
2. Breakfast. Always.
3. Energy drinks. Never.
4. Late night munchies...Bring fruit/cherry tomatoes/edamame/bread from dinner. If I'm that hungry, those Nature Valley bars under my desk. No more vending machine snacks. Save the funds for materials.
5. Their Possessions. Stop borrowing people's crap and not returning it. Seriously, they're angsty enough as is. Also, you might want to work with them someday. Also, you're supposed to be salt and light.
6. My Possessions. Label, label, label.

7. Sleep. 1 to 7 everyday. I tried 12 to 6 everyday this past month (did 1 to 8 most days, except for Sunday's critical all-nighter) and it was a success. Umma was right, as (almost) always. Did not get as much work done as I wanted, of course, but the work I would have one during the night would have not been much anyways. And would have looked a whole lot crappier.
Sleep will most likely increase my life span. Sleep is a good de-stresser. Sleep is my friend.

8. Pray. Hard. Good opportunities: During breakfast, after MWF dinner, after TR morning classes.
9. Lunch dates. If I want to have friends outside of studio, I have to be intentional.
10. Moozic. Join in on studio conversations once in a while, instead of always being being plugged into music playing on the laptop. If I'm not sure whether it should be work time or social time, ask God.
11. Gossip. Don't do it. Contribute something else to the conversation. Love always protects...
12. Archi crawls, dinners and other hangouts. Go. I don't drink and I don't like talking crap about people, but it means something to them if I show up.
13. Care. Ask how they're doing. Always say hi if you have the chance.
14. Backup. Update the hard drive every once in two weeks.
15. Three meals at Brown. Except before reviews maybe. Do itttt.
16. Remember other classes. Get your tuition's worth and don't skip. And listen and learn.
17. Believe in yourself. I have no practical suggestions...just keep up time with God.
18. Lectures. Go to all of them. Realize the greater world of architecture.
19. Dress up. And enjoy it. Savoring college experience includes finding and liking my own little style, at least for me. Sweats and a t-shirt are not a style.

20. Be smart about time. Maxium work, minimum time. I made the really bad mistake of focusing too much on my final model and making blatantly unfinished boards, even though I had a lot of good crap that I could have pasted on in, like, one hour. It's slightly comforting that everyone thought the model was awesome, but I still have this terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach after five yesterday, and that is no good. My prof is probably unhappy. I am definitely unhappy. I hope my grade doesn't suffer...too much. :'(

Review is on Thursday. I guess there is no use pouting about how much I could have done. Mistakes are mistakes. Just don't repeat them next semester and keep up whatever good habits you did get down.